SEEK

Methodology in Product Design (APD1) 2025

SEEK utilises advanced drone technology and AI-powered reconnaissance to revolutionise environmental crime investigations. With a parent-child drone system and the intelligent smart cone for accurate sampling, SEEK enables police officers to efficiently identify, analyse, and document pollution, ensuring precise and effective environmental protection efforts.

Yixin Zhu

Master's Programme in Advanced Product Design
To ensure SEEK delivers on its promise, I developed a detailed terrain model and simulated real-world operational scenarios.

To ensure SEEK delivers on its promise, I developed a detailed terrain model and simulated real-world operational scenarios.

Using a custom-built physical terrain model, I replicated common environmental crime scenes, such as oil spills and illegal dumping sites. This model allowed us to visualize how products would navigate diverse environments, identify pollution hotspots, and assist in evidence collection.

Using a custom-built physical terrain model, I replicated common environmental crime scenes, such as oil spills and illegal dumping sites. This model allowed us to visualize how products would navigate diverse environments, identify pollution hotspots, and assist in evidence collection.

Initial Survey: High-Altitude Scanning – Mission Activation: Officers deploy SEKK-2 (formerly Mother Drone). This high-altitude drone rapidly scans the target area using AI-powered sensors. After it identifies pollution zones and generates a comprehensive, high-resolution environmental map, instantly displayed on the officer’s handheld device.

Initial Survey: High-Altitude Scanning – Mission Activation: Officers deploy SEKK-2 (formerly Mother Drone). This high-altitude drone rapidly scans the target area using AI-powered sensors. After it identifies pollution zones and generates a comprehensive, high-resolution environmental map, instantly displayed on the officer’s handheld device.

Precision Scanning: Human-Level Analysis – After the initial scan, policer officers deploy SEEK-1 (formerly Baby Drones), SEEK-1 hover around the officer, scanning for precise pollution sources and suggesting sampling points through laser, while maintaining a real-time connection with SEEK-2.

Precision Scanning: Human-Level Analysis – After the initial scan, policer officers deploy SEEK-1 (formerly Baby Drones), SEEK-1 hover around the officer, scanning for precise pollution sources and suggesting sampling points through laser, while maintaining a real-time connection with SEEK-2.

Smart Marking: Ground-Level Evidence – Marking Sampling Points: Officers place the SEEK-3 (Smart Cone) at identified hotspots, which emit signals for location recording and environmental data capture. SEEK-2 tracks the marker from above, integrating data from SEEK-1 and SEEK-3 drones into a comprehensive investigation report.

Smart Marking: Ground-Level Evidence – Marking Sampling Points: Officers place the SEEK-3 (Smart Cone) at identified hotspots, which emit signals for location recording and environmental data capture. SEEK-2 tracks the marker from above, integrating data from SEEK-1 and SEEK-3 drones into a comprehensive investigation report.

The drones autonomously return to the smart box, which securely docks them for transport.

The drones autonomously return to the smart box, which securely docks them for transport.

SEEK represents a groundbreaking shift in how we address environmental crime. With advanced drone technology, intuitive workflows, and robust data integration, we’re empowering law enforcement to protect the environment more effectively than ever before.

SEEK represents a groundbreaking shift in how we address environmental crime. With advanced drone technology, intuitive workflows, and robust data integration, we’re empowering law enforcement to protect the environment more effectively than ever before.