High Tech, Low Impact
By UWCSEA Communications Team
January 2026
Combining sustainability, innovation, and hands-on problem-solving, students are tackling pollution in Singapore’s urban waterways
Ever wondered what it would take to protect our waterways from pollution? At Dover Campus, four Grade 12 students—Jacob, Belle, Vikram, and Alex—have combined their ideas, energy, and determination to create Dronaqua, a student-led project using small, solar-powered drones to monitor and clean Singapore’s waterways.
Working alongside the National Water Agency, the team set out to develop an affordable solution for detecting and reducing pollution. The setup might sound like a high-tech mouthful—sensors, carbon filters, solar-powered drones, GPS tracking, dashboards—but in short, it’s a fleet of tiny robots that float on water, spot pollution, clean it up, and map exactly where it was. Dronaqua turn a complicated problem into a clever, practical solution that’s as smart as it is sustainable.
The technology is only half the story—it’s the team that makes it all click. Jacob has always been passionate about sustainability, a drive shaped through years of participating in Global Concerns and Service projects with Rainforest restoration and urban rooftop gardening at UWCSEA. His growing focus on water issues eventually led him to take the first step toward real-world change with the founding of Dronaqua—a project he describes as a daily reminder “that we can accomplish something that hasn’t been done before at any age.”
Design prototype of Dronaqua drone
Belle’s journey ran alongside his. After interning at NUS labs and Singapore’s Public Utilities Board (PUB), she felt compelled to move beyond research and into action, a shift that inspired her to co-found Dronaqua and lead PFAS Research & Outreach, focusing on persistent chemical pollutants that contaminate water. She later reflected on “the power of community,” especially during the United Water Conference, where students, alumni, and mentors came together to confront shared challenges in water security.
Together, Jacob and Belle recruited Vikram and Alex, a multidisciplinary pair whose strengths in software, simulation, communications systems, and mechanical design helped transform an early idea into a working, field-ready solution. As Alex puts it, challenges are simply “opportunities waiting to be uncovered”—a mindset that continues to fuel the team’s collaborative, impact-driven work.
Even with their drones in action, the team stays mindful of their environmental footprint. They use biochar, a charcoal-like carbon material to treat pollutants, harness solar power, and design their drones to minimise impact, proving that innovation and sustainability can go hand in hand. Since its founding, Dronaqua has accomplished a great deal. They have been named Conrad Challenge finalists for their PFAS remediation concept, secured youth innovation grants, including GoMakeADifference with UWCSEA faculty support, and co-hosted the United Water Conference to inspire students in water security. They’ve also collaborated with PUB, National University of Singapore, and industry partners to combine lab, simulation, CAD, and field expertise—shaping their ideas into real-world solutions.
We have always been told as UWCSEA students that even the smallest differences matter, and this project showed us how a student team can address global issues. Our experience has taught us that when people from different backgrounds work together, they can take on challenges much bigger than themselves. For us, that challenge is water sustainability. Even though we’re still in school, we’ve built drones that can actually make a difference in cleaning and protecting our environment. It’s our way of living the UWC Mission in a practical way and has taught us how collaboration can have a huge impact.
– Dronaqua team
This article was published for Dunia January 2026.
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