Water Surface Cleaning Robot — Arduino Project
This document covers the roadmap, block diagram, circuit diagram, components, wiring, Arduino
sketch, and assembly notes for building a water surface cleaning robot using Arduino.
Block & Circuit Diagram
1) Requirements & Design
Robot floats on water and collects waste. Needs propulsion, collection mechanism, Arduino-based
control, and waterproofing.
Goal: Build a robot that floats on water and collects waste (plastic, leaves, etc.) from
the surface.
Main tasks:
Floating mechanism (boat-like structure).
Navigation (manual RC or autonomous).
Waste collection mechanism (net, conveyor, or scoop).
Power system (battery-powered).
Control via Arduino.
2) Mechanical Design
Floating base (PVC/foam), dual DC motors with propellers, net or conveyor for waste collection.
Mechanical Design
Floating Base:
o Use thermocol, plastic bottles, PVC pipes, or lightweight waterproof
material as pontoons.
o Ensure balance (center of gravity must be low).
Movement System:
o 2 DC/ 4 Bo motors with propellers (for forward & turning).
o Or water pumps for jet propulsion (optional).
Waste Collection Mechanism:
o Simple: Net fixed in front to catch waste.
o Advanced: Small conveyor belt that lifts trash onto the boat.
3) Electronics
Arduino Uno/Nano, Motor Driver L298N, Bluetooth module, Li-ion battery, Ultrasonic sensors,
Servo motor for collection mechanism.
Microcontroller: Arduino Uno or Arduino Nano.
Motor Driver: L298N or L293D (to control DC motors).
Motors: 2 waterproof DC motors with propellers.
Power Supply: 7.4V/11.1V Li-ion or Li-Po battery (depending on motor rating).
Control Options:
o Manual (Beginner): Bluetooth module (HC-05) or RF remote control.
o Semi-autonomous: Ultrasonic sensors (for obstacle avoidance).
o Fully Autonomous (Advanced): GPS + compass + solar panel for
charging.
Optional Sensors:
o Ultrasonic sensor (to avoid walls/boats).
o Water level sensor (safety check for leaks).
.
4) Assembly & Testing
Waterproof electronics, balance weight distribution, test on small tub, then pond. Check stability,
motor thrust, and collection efficiency.
Build floating chassis.
Mount motors and propellers.
Attach waste collection system (net/conveyor).
Connect electronics on a waterproof box.
Wire Arduino + motor driver + power supply.
Test in a small water container before a lake/pond.
Safety: Waterproof all electronics with silicone, epoxy, or acrylic casing.
5) Future Upgrades
Solar charging, GPS-based navigation, ESP32-CAM for monitoring, advanced waste detection
sensors.
