Remote-controlled robots clean small beaches in Michigan

July 6, 2024

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is using robots to clean some beaches. The BeBot, short for Beach Robot, runs on tracks.

Bebots are “remote-controlled, electric-powered beach cleaners, and they’re smaller than some of the ones typically pulled by a tractor on the larger beaches,” said Ron Olson, director of the agency’s parks and recreation division.

One of the beaches in Belle Isle State Park is cleaned by a BeBot.

He said the machines sift the sand and collect debris.

“Maybe broken glass or cigarette butts or other discarded material, plastic or other things that have been thrown away or accidentally left as trash,” Olson explained.

According to a DNR press release, the machines can cover an area of 32,000 square feet per hour, meaning their use is limited to smaller beaches.

“So we have one in Belle Isle that was donated. And then we have one that we bought at Brighton State Recreation Area. I’ve seen the machine running and actually done it myself. It’s operated with a joystick.”

Rowdy Perry, DNR supervisor at Brighton Recreation Area, said in the release that the BeBot not only helps clean up the beach, “but also serves as a talking point to educate the public about the importance of clean beaches and clean water throughout the state.”

The DNR will continue to test the BeBots, and depending on how well they work, more could be deployed on other smaller beaches.

Editor’s note: The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is a sponsor of WCMU. We cover it like any other organization.