DummDumm Drones are Changing Water Monitoring

Clean water is one of the most precious resources we have; yet, checking its quality has always been a difficult, expensive, and sometimes hazardous task. In many countries, the current method involves sending people out on boats to collect samples manually and then transporting them back for testing. It’s slow, costly, and in some cases risky — workers have drowned while trying to take samples in rivers with strong currents or in areas that boats couldn’t reach.

DummDumm Inc., a young Korean company founded in 2023, is tackling this problem with drones. Instead of sending people into the water, their service utilizes specially designed drones to collect water samples and measure quality in real-time. The drones are equipped with multispectral sensors that can detect anomalies. If something appears unusual, they automatically collect water from a precise depth — up to 30 meters deep — without mixing it with water from other layers (that’s crucial). The samples, up to four liters at a time, are flown back safely, and the results are transmitted to a ground control system over 5G.

What makes this innovative is not just the use of drones, but the way DummDumm solved the technical challenges that defeated earlier attempts. A water sampler is heavy, and carrying liters of liquid in the air is unstable. Their drones utilize improved motors, a carefully balanced sampler design, and a buoy system that enhances the overall process, making it smoother and safer. With a flight time of about 90 minutes (45 minutes if carrying a full water load), the system is fully unmanned and can cover areas that would otherwise require ships, fuel, and potentially several people.

DummDumm’s service can reduce costs by as much as 65 percent compared to these older methods, with even greater savings in large countries where distances are long or where there are multiple testing sites. The system isn’t just about cost, though — it also reduces the risks to workers and enables the collection of better data more frequently.

The company’s business model combines hardware — the drones and their ground control system — with software, offered as a subscription service. Customers can receive real-time monitoring, notifications, and expert analysis, with service levels tailored to their specific needs. Looking ahead, DummDumm plans to enhance this platform with AI-powered insights and cloud-based collaboration.

DummDumm has already tested its drones in Korean rivers, dams, and lakes with the support of K-water and other public institutions. It signed an MoU in Thailand earlier this year, and plans further expansion into Europe and beyond. In fact, the company will make its international debut at CES 2026 in Las Vegas, where it aims to position itself as a full-stack water quality management platform, not just a drone maker.

In a world where climate change, pollution, and population growth are putting more stress on water resources, DummDumm’s approach looks both timely and necessary. By combining drone technology, advanced sensors, and cloud-based data services, the company is showing how the future of environmental monitoring might take flight — literally.

Filed in Green. Read more about CES, CES 2026, Drones, Korea and Water.