The vessel glides efficiently across Umiam Lake in Meghalaya, India, smoothly scooping up trash with an onboard conveyor belt system. There's no operator onboard because the Clearbot is designed for autonomous operation, enhancing safety by eliminating the need for human presence in potentially hazardous environments.
This multifunctional, autonomous workboat was developed to tackle marine pollution and perform various water-based tasks. The boat is self-navigating and operates autonomously through a combination of advanced robotics and artificial intelligence.
While Umiam Lake’s waters are now visibly cleaner, it’s worth remembering that a staggering 41 tonnes of waste had once choked its ecosystem. The transformation is a testament to the Clearbot's effectiveness.
A global pollution crisis in numbers
Growing up in India, Clear Robotics’ Co-founder and CEO, Sidhant Gupta was drawn to robotics at a young age. “I have seen how humans working in dangerous places can get injured. I really believe that robotics can change the way we do things – for the better.”
Clear Robotics began as a student project before evolving into a full-fledged company. While visiting Bali, Sidhant and his co-founder, Utkarsh, encountered massive pollution in its waterways. This prompted the group to build a prototype robot to clean up the waters.
“We built this very scrappy prototype that ran on electricity: using two toy helicopters motors, four aluminium bars, and spare netting from a fishing vessel. It was the start to greater things to come. We saw a sustainable business and we saw the environmental problem, so we decided to do this full time.” Sidhant shared.
Without additional policy action, the OECD estimates that the amount of plastics accumulating in the ocean is projected to reach 76 million tonnes by 2040 and 141 million tonnes by 2060. This means that in just two decades, the quantity of plastics in the ocean will match all historically accumulated plastics up to now.
If no action is taken, by 2050, plastic in our oceans is expected to outweigh all the fish by mass.
How the Clearbot works
"Since developing the initial prototype, Framebot, in 2019, Clear Robotics has advanced its technology significantly. The Clearbot fleet now includes various sizes, not just a single class. These vessels are fully electric and emissions-free, powered by batteries charged by solar panels."
Each Clearbot uses features like autonomous waypoint mission paths, failsafe return-to-home capabilities, and anti-collision software that detects objects within a 13-metre (45-foot) radius. It can be set to run autonomously or be guided by a remote operator.
“Clearbots operate using pre-set routes (like a Roomba for water), with object avoidance algorithms using sensors like LiDAR and GPS to navigate and avoid obstacles,” explains Samyuktha Sriram, Clearbot’s Head of Business Development and Marketing.
"Multiple cameras on the vessel photograph every object collected, recording the image along with its GPS location, and categorising it. This data is transmitted to an AI-powered dashboard, allowing clients to monitor trends, identify pollution leakage points, and make informed decisions about waste management."
All data can be transmitted over the internet, allowing Clear Robotics’ customers to keep manpower requirements and fuel costs low, and swiftly deploy remote-controlled vessels to do necessary tasks.
“We started Clear Robotics to remove trash from the water, but our mission has grown since. Now, our Clearbots can do so much more—cleaning waterways, measuring water quality, surveying hard-to-reach areas, and even delivering goods to remote locations,” Sidhant shares with pride. This expanding capability is central to Clear Robotics' vision of becoming a comprehensive unmanned maritime solutions provider.
Cleaning Meghalaya: A scalable model for real impact
Clear Robotics’ first major deployment took place in Meghalaya, in partnership with the Smart Village Movement, a nonprofit dedicated to sustainable rural development.
Meghalaya’s rivers and lakes, including the Umiam Lake, a famous tourist site, have experienced years of waste accumulation due to overflowing landfills and river pollution. Local fishermen, once despairing over the lake’s decline, now watch as Clearbot tirelessly clears the waters.
“In just three months, we removed 15 tons of waste from Umiam Lake. When deployed, our Clearbot collected about 200 to 250 kilograms of waste daily. In some sessions, the vessel collected up to 200 kilograms of waste per hour, demonstrating consistent, and efficient high-volume cleanup capacity,” Sidhant says.
Clear Robotics’ primary clients are government bodies and port authorities responsible for managing waterways. Samyuktha adds, “We usually work with local partners who then help us process the waste collected. Sometimes we’re able to convert the waste into pellets and create something reuseable.”
The team is united by the shared mission to clean up our waters, and reduce the probability of humans having to work in dangerous conditions. “Everyone in the company, and whoever that is working with us, is doing it for the mission as much as anything else.” Samyuktha shares.
Mission-driven and market-ready: #Winning with PIER71™
Smart Port Challenge 2024 Winner Clear Robotics’ Co-founder and CEO, Sidhant Gupta (6th from left) on stage together with other winning teams (Open Ocean Robotics and GT Wings), after receiving their prizes from Guest-of-Honour Dr Amy Khor, then Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Transport, Singapore and Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment, Singapore.
In 2024, Clear Robotics participated in the Smart Port Challenge organised by PIER71 and won. Founded by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and the National University of Singapore (NUS), PIER71™ designs and delivers programmes to supports marine-tech entrepreneurs from ideation to acceleration of their ventures.
“The program significantly helped us with networking in Singapore, connecting us to clients we are pursuing today. In our experience of this business, we have never moved so quickly in the three months spent. The Smart Port Challenge is definitely one of the best programs we have ever done because you’ll get outsized returns and a real place to build your business,” Sidhant said.
With their successful deployment in Meghalaya, Clear Robotics is just getting started.
“Our vision is to be the largest unmanned boat and ship operator in the world. I have no doubt we can achieve it one day.”
