For WasteShark creator Richard Hardiman, pure chance led to an exciting idea.

Richard, who is the founder and CEO of Netherlands-based startup RanMarine Technology, didn’t set out to create an autonomous robot that cleans pollution from the sea.

But while having a cup of coffee at a waterfront cafe, he saw something that started him thinking about solving a problem.

And the steps he took, in bringing the world’s first autonomous aquadrone, called the WasteShark, from concept to reality, can serve as a guideline for anyone with a creative idea.

The WasteShark, designed in the shape of a whale shark, operates like a vacuum–removing plastic pollutants from waterways. It can also remove biomass, such as algae. And in the process, it can transmit data about the body of water in which it’s operating.

At CES® 2022, in Las Vegas in January, the WasteShark won a CES® Innovation Award in the “Drones and Unmanned Systems” category. And as the world focuses on addressing the problem of climate change,, major-name companies are using the WasteShark in harbors, marinas and parks to clean waterways and prevent future pollution problems.

And the WasteShark is just the first of RanMarine Technology’s innovations. During CES® 2022, Richard and his team premiered additional new technology that will enable a fleet of these aquadrones to work together. Richard also says new versions of the “shark” are scheduled to roll out, later this year.

Richard shared the story of creating the WasteShark, explained how it works and offered a preview of RanMarine’s future technological offerings.

• How Richard “accidentally” came up with his concept for the WasteShark aquatic drone;
  

• The steps from there (and an important catalyst, for him, to the creative process!);
  

• How the WasteShark works;
  

• What users see if they to manually operate the aquadrone (created to be very user-friendly);
  

• What happens next!;
  

• Where RanMarine Technology is currently, with deploying the WasteShark, and their future goals;
  

• Richard’s experience at CES® 2022
  

• The new technology which RanMarine Technology introduced during CES®;
  

• What Richard, as someone without robotics experienc,e, had to learn to make the WasteShark a reality;
  

• Some of the challenges and considerations involved in creating an aquadrone;
  

• What data the WasteShark communicates back, about the qualities of the water in which it is operating;
  

• How any creative can apply the steps Richard took, in making the WasteShark a reality, to bring an idea to life;
  

• RanMarine Technology’s experience with the CES® 2022 Innovation Award;
  

• A closer look at two forthcoming “shark” pollution-combating drones–including one you’ll hear about for the first time here!
  

• Some highlights, and a low point, of Richard’s journey, as he and his team designed the WasteShark.