Robotic Diver Breakthrough: TUM’s Autonomous System Begins Real-World Underwater Cleanup

Marine pollution remains among the most persistent environmental challenges worldwide, particularly in ports and harbor basins where submerged waste accumulates. A research team at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), as part of the EU-funded SEACLEAR project, has now developed an autonomous diving robot capable of detecting, retrieving, and bringing marine litter to the surface.

Key Capabilities

• The robot is equipped with both sonar (ultrasound) and optical cameras, enabling detection of underwater waste even under low-visibility or murky conditions.
• Detected objects are converted to 3D models by its artificial intelligence (AI) unit. This aids in planning how to grip and retrieve items securely. Over 7,000 training images of debris “not belonging on the seabed” have already been labelled to train the system.
• For retrieval, the robot uses a four-fingered gripper (volume ~1 cubic metre) capable of exerting a force of up to 4,000 newtons and lifting loads up to 250 kilograms. It also has sensors to moderate grip strength so as not to damage delicate items.

System & Operation

The robot does not work in isolation, but as part of a composite system:

• An unmanned service boat provides power and data via a cable, supports communications, and emits ultrasonic waves to generate a rough seabed map.
• A small search robot (≈ 50 cm in length) scans the sea floor quickly to identify likely locations of litter.
• Once waste is located, the diving robot moves in (powered by eight mini-turbines), grabs the debris, and uses a winch to move the item to an autonomous dinghy floating on the surface, which serves as a collection platform.

Other design features include buoyancy foam to maintain neutral or near-neutral buoyancy when turbines are idle, and cable-assisted power/data to overcome the limits of on-board batteries (which last only about two hours).

Demonstration & Practical Thresholds

• The system was publicly demonstrated in the port of Marseille, France, where it successfully retrieved debris including large, heavy objects.
• According to TUM’s cost-benefit analysis, the approach becomes profitable at depths of about 16 metres or more.

Project Structure & Partners

• The SEACLEAR consortium includes TUM and other European academic and industrial institutions: TU Delft, University of Dubrovnik, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, Fraunhofer CML, Hamburg Port Authority, Regional Development Agency Dubrovnik-Neretva County, Subsea Tech, among others.
• The project is funded by the European Union (Horizon 2020 / Horizon Europe).

Implications

For divers and marine professionals, this technology may reduce the need for risky human dives in polluted or difficult-visibility zones. Cleanup operations in depths beyond 15-20 metres, or where debris is heavy or hazardous, could increasingly rely on robotic systems. Monitoring, mapping, and planning dive or cleanup operations might benefit from integrating data from such robotics platforms.