Microplastic Sensing Drone

Microplastics—tiny particles nearly invisible to the eye—pose a mounting threat to marine ecosystems and human health. While scientists understood the scale of the problem, they lacked an effective way to detect, analyze, and track these particles in real time. When Draper developed a breakthrough technology capable of identifying microplastics in aquatic environments, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) saw its potential. To move the innovation from lab to field, Draper turned to Sprout to design an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) that could make the invisible measurable.

Sprout focused on developing a holistic solution—one that balanced cutting-edge science with real-world durability, ecological responsibility, and scalability. To achieve this, we collaborated closely with Draper’s scientists and engineers, ensuring the technology, mechanical systems, and industrial design worked seamlessly together. 

Sprout made every design decision with the realities of marine environments in mind. Integrated thrusters were chosen over rudders to safeguard aquatic life. The chassis was shaped for safe transport and streamlined for quick deployment and retrieval in unpredictable conditions. To extend mission duration sustainably, we incorporated a self-docking, wind-powered charging buoy.

Beyond hardware, we established a flexible design language and modular architecture to guide Draper’s future innovations. We also integrated CGI renderings into Draper’s R&D process, enabling rapid visualization, iteration, and refinement without the expense of physical prototypes.

The result is the world’s first real-time microplastic-sensing drone. Capable of skimming the top nine meters of water—where most microplastics accumulate—the AUV identifies specific particle types, traces their sources, and visualizes data through location-based mapping. This enables researchers to track contamination trends, identify pollution hotspots, and inform prevention strategies.

Recognized globally, the project earned honors on TIME’s Best Inventions of the Year and Fast Company’s World Changing Ideas lists, positioning Draper as a leader in applying advanced technology to urgent environmental challenges.