Applying the technology behind aerial drones underwater is helping scientists improve water quality assessments, detect harmful substances, and reduce ecological damage.

Professor Shahpour Alirezaee and research associate Saeed Mozaffari of the Department of Mechanical, Automotive and Materials Engineering have been deploying autonomous unmanned underwater vehicles to collect water samples, measuring temperature, pH levels, and electronic conductivity.

The goal is straightforward: use this advanced technology to improve water quality monitoring, aid in decision-making, and contribute to the protection and restoration of aquatic ecosystems.

Windsor makes an ideal testing ground for this technology, with the Detroit River — a historically polluted waterway — serving as a significant site for these tests.

Find the entire story in the 2024 edition of Windsor Engineering magazine.