Detection of Oil Spill Pollution in Seawater Using Drones: Simulation & Lab-based Experimental Study

This paper presents a simulation and lab-based experimental study of detecting oil spills in the oceans using drones. The proposed simulation process is the first phase of long-term research that is targeting to limit the oil spill contaminations in Omani coastline. This study presents some methods and tools to detect an oil spill in a prearranged scenario. The methods and tools are tested in simulation and verified in lab-based experiments. Footage of oil spill cases is used to illustrate the process of oil spill detection. In addition, image processing techniques are applied to provide an accurate outline of the spill's perimeter. The results exhibit the effectiveness of using the proposed methods and tools in detecting oil spills.