Mechanical · Energy and thermal · Final year project
RC Solar Lake Pool Cleaner Drone
A solar-powered RC boat that cleans floating garbage from lakes and pools. Two electric motors propel it while a wire mesh collects waste from the water surface.
What is the RC Solar Lake Pool Cleaner Drone project?
A solar-powered RC boat that cleans floating garbage from lakes and pools. Two electric motors propel it while a wire mesh collects waste from the water surface.
Key facts
- Branch
- Mechanical & Automobile Engineering; also suits Mechatronics, Instrumentation
- Type
- Final year project · Advanced
- Suitable for
- Diploma capstone and B.E / B.Tech final year
- Build time
- 6 to 8 weeks
- Estimated component cost
- ₹34,400 – ₹50,600
- Guidance from
- ₹9,999 (Hardware / IoT Final Year)
How the RC Solar Lake Pool Cleaner Drone works
- The mild steel frame and fabrication forms the base that carries every other part, so it is designed first from the load and size of the machine.
- The DC geared motor provides the driving motion.
- The Motor driver lets the low-current controller run the motors forward, reverse and at variable speed.
- Motion is transmitted through camera module and DC geared motor, which set the speed, torque and direction at the working end.
- The Wheels / castor wheels allow the machine or vehicle to move.
- The ATmega328P microcontroller with base board is the brain of the circuit: it samples the sensors, compares readings with set limits and switches the outputs.
- The pH sensor kit measures the acidity of water or soil solution.
- The Water quality sensor measures dissolved solids or cloudiness of water.
Block diagram
Power
DC geared motorMotor driverSolar panelTransmission
DC geared motorWorking unit
Wheels / castor wheelsStructure
Frame and mountsComponents list and cost
Typical prices from Indian online stores and electronics markets (Lamington Road, Budhwar Peth, SP Road). Buy from one store where you can to save on shipping.
| Component | Qty | What it does | Approx. cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| ATmega328P microcontroller with base board | 1 | Is the brain of the circuit: it samples the sensors, compares readings with set limits and switches the outputs. | ₹350 |
| pH sensor kit | 1 | Measures the acidity of water or soil solution. | ₹1,400 |
| Water quality sensor (TDS / turbidity) | 1 | Measures dissolved solids or cloudiness of water. | ₹650 |
| Camera module | 1 | Captures images or video for recognition and monitoring. | ₹650 |
| DC geared motor | 2 | Provides the driving motion. | ₹500 |
| Motor driver (L298N) | 1 | Lets the low-current controller run the motors forward, reverse and at variable speed. | ₹180 |
| Solar panel (10–20 W) | 1 | Converts sunlight into electricity to power or charge the system. | ₹900 |
| Charge controller module | 1 | Charges the battery safely and stops overcharging. | ₹250 |
| Rechargeable battery (12 V 1.3–7 Ah) | 1 | Stores energy and supplies power when mains is absent. | ₹650 |
| Mild steel frame and fabrication | 2 | Forms the main structure that holds all parts. | ₹5,000 |
| Drone frame (450 mm) with landing gear | 1 | Needed for this type of build. | ₹1,800 |
| BLDC motor (1000 KV) with ESC | 4 | Needed for this type of build. | ₹4,600 |
| Flight controller (F4 / Pixhawk-class) | 1 | Needed for this type of build. | ₹3,200 |
| LiPo battery 3S 2200-5200 mAh | 1 | Needed for this type of build. | ₹2,800 |
| RC transmitter and receiver (6-channel) | 1 | Needed for this type of build. | ₹5,200 |
| Propellers (set) | 2 | Needed for this type of build. | ₹600 |
| LiPo balance charger | 1 | Needed for this type of build. | ₹1,600 |
| Robot chassis (metal / acrylic) | 1 | Needed for this type of build. | ₹1,100 |
| Wheels / castor wheels | 4 | Allow the machine or vehicle to move. | ₹1,600 |
| Li-ion battery pack (18650 × 3, 11.1 V) with BMS | 1 | Needed for this type of build. | ₹1,400 |
| Welding, cutting and machining labour | 1 | Needed for this type of build. | ₹2,200 |
| Propellers | 2 | Part from the design specification | ₹800* |
| RC transmitter | 1 | Part from the design specification | ₹400* |
| RC Receiver Circuit | 1 | Part from the design specification | ₹400* |
| Strobe Light | 1 | Part from the design specification | ₹400* |
| Electronics Components | 1 | Part from the design specification | ₹400* |
| Mounts, screws, nuts and small hardware | 1 | PCB / breadboard and enclosure, mounts and fasteners. | ₹420 |
| Paint, finishing and workshop consumables | 1 | Project overhead | ₹600 |
| Transport of material | 1 | Project overhead | ₹400 |
| Estimated total | Varies with brand, quality and city | ₹34,400 – ₹50,600 |
Prices are estimates for budgeting; items marked * depend on the exact size or model chosen. We confirm the bill of materials when your design is frozen, and components are charged at actual cost with bills.
How much does this project cost?
| Option | What you get | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Components only | You buy the parts and build it yourself | ₹34,400 – ₹50,600 |
| Hardware / IoT Final Year | Working model or guided build, Circuit diagram and bill of materials, Firmware / code with explanation | from ₹9,999 + components |
| Capstone Project (CPE) | Working project or model, Black book in MSBTE format, Step-by-step explanation | ₹9,999 + components |
| Diploma ITR | 100% working source code, Project report PDF, PPT | ₹1,999 + components |
No GST and no hidden charges. Use the cost calculator for a quote with your deadline and add-ons, or see all plans.
Download the project brief (PDF)
Summary, working, components and cost and viva questions on one branded PDF to show your guide or team. To get it developed, contact us on WhatsApp.
What you submit with this project
- Working model with circuit diagram and program code
- Project report or black book in your university's chapter order (block diagram, circuit, calculations, results)
- Presentation for the review and final viva
- Synopsis for topic approval, if your college asks for one
Mechanical viva questions on this project
What is the aim of the RC Solar Lake Pool Cleaner Drone project?
A solar-powered RC boat that cleans floating garbage from lakes and pools. Two electric motors propel it while a wire mesh collects waste from the water surface.
Explain the working of your project in short.
The mild steel frame and fabrication forms the base that carries every other part, so it is designed first from the load and size of the machine. The DC geared motor provides the driving motion. The Motor driver lets the low-current controller run the motors forward, reverse and at variable speed. Motion is transmitted through camera module and DC geared motor, which set the speed, torque and direction at the working end.
Why is a microcontroller used in this project?
A microcontroller combines a CPU, memory and I/O pins on one chip, so a single low-cost IC can read sensors, make decisions in code and control loads without a computer.
What does a pH sensor measure?
It measures hydrogen ion activity through a glass electrode that produces a small voltage, about 59 mV per pH unit at 25 °C.
What does a TDS value tell you?
Total dissolved solids, in ppm, estimated from the water's conductivity. Drinking water is usually below 300 ppm.
How is the camera image processed?
Frames are captured and processed with OpenCV: converted to grayscale, filtered and passed to a detection or recognition model that labels faces, objects or number plates.
Why is a geared motor used?
The gearbox reduces speed and multiplies torque, so a small DC motor can move a vehicle or mechanism smoothly. Torque increases roughly by the gear ratio.
Which material did you select for the main parts and why?
Mild steel (MS) is used for the frame because it is strong, cheap, easy to cut and weld and available everywhere. Shafts are made of EN8 or bright mild steel for strength, and parts that do not carry load can be aluminium or acrylic to reduce weight.
What factor of safety did you take in your design?
A factor of safety of 2 to 3 is taken for static parts and 3 to 5 for parts under shock or fatigue loading. Allowable stress = yield strength ÷ factor of safety, and each part is checked against it.
How did you estimate the cost of the project?
The cost is the sum of raw material, bought-out parts, machining or fabrication and overheads. Our estimate for this model is about ₹34,400 to ₹50,600, depending on size, material and the workshop rates in your city.
Which manufacturing processes were used?
Cutting and grinding of sections, arc or MIG welding of the frame, drilling for mounting holes, turning of the shafts and fitting of bearings and the drive, followed by assembly, alignment and painting.
Is your system open-loop or closed-loop?
Closed-loop: sensors measure the actual position, distance or condition and the controller corrects the actuators until the target is reached.
Related projects
Academic use: Project Buddyy offers mentoring, guidance and reference material for learning. You stay responsible for following your institution's academic integrity rules and for understanding everything you submit.
Want to build RC Solar Lake Pool Cleaner Drone?
Send your college, deadline and team size. We confirm the scope, cost and what you will submit.