IoT Water Pollution Monitor RC Boat

This guide will walk you through the process of building an IoT Water Pollution Monitor RC Boat. The boat will be equipped with sensors to measure water quality parameters and transmit the data to a remote server for analysis.

Components Required

• RC Boat (with space for electronics)
• Microcontroller (e.g., Arduino, ESP32)
• Water quality sensors (e.g., pH sensor, turbidity sensor, dissolved oxygen sensor)
• GPS module (for location tracking)
• Wi-Fi or GSM module (for data transmission)
• Power supply (e.g., batteries suitable for RC boat and electronics)
• Connecting wires and mounting materials
• Cloud service account (for data storage and visualization)

Setting Up the Hardware

Follow these steps to set up the hardware:

1. Install Sensors on the Boat

   Attach the water quality sensors (pH, turbidity, dissolved oxygen) to the RC boat. Ensure sensors are securely mounted and positioned to accurately measure the water parameters. Install the GPS module for location tracking.

2. Integrate the Microcontroller

   Connect the sensors and GPS module to the microcontroller. Ensure proper wiring and secure connections to prevent interference with the boat’s operation.

3. Install the Communication Module

   Connect the Wi-Fi or GSM module to the microcontroller for data transmission. Configure the module to communicate with your cloud service or remote server.

4. Power the System

   Ensure that the RC boat’s power supply is adequate for both the boat’s propulsion system and the electronics. Use batteries that provide sufficient power for extended operation.

Programming the Microcontroller

Write code for the microcontroller to read sensor data, send it to the cloud, and optionally control the boat's movement. Here’s a basic outline of the code:

                #include <Wire.h>
                #include <WiFi.h>
                #include <Adafruit_Sensor.h>
                #include <Adafruit_TCS34725.h>
                #include <Adafruit_BME280.h>
                #include <SoftwareSerial.h>

                const char* ssid = "your_SSID";
                const char* password = "your_PASSWORD";
                const char* serverUrl = "https://api.yourcloudservice.com/upload";

                Adafruit_TCS34725 colorSensor;
                Adafruit_BME280 bme280;
                SoftwareSerial gpsSerial(4, 3); // RX, TX for GPS

                void setup() {
                Serial.begin(9600);
                WiFi.begin(ssid, password);
                while (WiFi.status() != WL_CONNECTED) {
                    delay(1000);
                }
                colorSensor.begin();
                bme280.begin();
                gpsSerial.begin(9600);
                }

                void loop() {
                // Read water quality data
                float temperature = bme280.readTemperature();
                float humidity = bme280.readHumidity();
                uint16_t colorData[3];
                colorSensor.getRawData(&colorData[0], &colorData[1], &colorData[2]);
                
                // Read GPS data
                String gpsData = readGPS();

                // Format the data for transmission
                String payload = String("temperature=") + temperature + "&humidity=" + humidity +
                                    "&colorR=" + colorData[0] + "&colorG=" + colorData[1] + "&colorB=" + colorData[2] +
                                    "&gps=" + gpsData;
                                    
                // Send data to the cloud
                WiFiClient client;
                if (client.connect(serverUrl, 80)) {
                    client.println("POST /upload HTTP/1.1");
                    client.println("Host: yourcloudservice.com");
                    client.println("Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded");
                    client.print("Content-Length: ");
                    client.println(payload.length());
                    client.println();
                    client.println(payload);
                    client.stop();
                }
                
                delay(60000); // Wait 1 minute before next reading
                }

                String readGPS() {
                String data = "";
                while (gpsSerial.available()) {
                    char c = gpsSerial.read();
                    data += c;
                }
                return data;
                }
            

This code initializes the sensors and GPS module, reads data, and sends it to the cloud. Replace the placeholders with your actual Wi-Fi credentials and cloud service URL.

Setting Up Cloud Data Visualization

Configure your cloud service to receive and visualize the data. Set up dashboards or graphs to display water quality metrics, GPS coordinates, and other relevant information.

Testing and Calibration

Before deploying the RC boat:

1. Test the Sensors

   Ensure that the sensors are functioning correctly and providing accurate readings. Test the data transmission to ensure connectivity.

2. Calibrate the Sensors

   Calibrate the sensors as needed to ensure accurate measurements. Follow the sensor manufacturer's guidelines for calibration procedures.

3. Check Communication

   Verify that the communication module is reliably sending data to the cloud and that the cloud service is receiving and displaying the data correctly.