Features News Research Strategies & Innovations
Maxim Environmental and OmniView Tech collaborate to sample surface water by drone

Mississauga, Ont. – Maxim Environmental and Safety Inc., and OmniView Tech Corp., a supplier of drone and handheld gimbal products, recently collaborated to test the viability of sampling surface water using one of their drones.

“It’s an experiment/trial using a drone to take a surface water sample,” Justin Clarke, vice-president of sales for Maxim Environmental, told Ground Water Canada.

On March 29, the team successfully used a drone to sample water in ponds at Saigon Park in Mississauga using a HydraSleeve, which is a point-source sampling device.

“The ponds are not very accessible by foot and also much lower in elevation than the area where we were standing,” he said. “A great example of what it might look like at a gravel pit, quarry or excavation.”

“There are several reasons why sampling a large water body cannot easily be executed safely or in a cost-effective manner.” Clarke shared on his company’s LinkedIn page. “Site location and water access may not allow for a boat launch and water entry by a technician is not a safe alternative.”

On March 29, the team successfully used a drone to sample water in ponds at Saigon Park in Mississauga. PHOTO COURTESY MAXIM ENVIRONMENTAL AND SAFETY INC.

“Together we set out to prove that a HydraSleeve could be suspended securely from a drone providing containment of a one-litre sample to be collected. In spite of the cold weather and wind, there were two separate successful attempts to collect water safely and returned to our staging area. As the weather provided less than ideal conditions, it illustrated a real-world application for this method.

“By collecting a sample quickly and safely the drone has illustrated true practicality for environmental monitoring.”