When a small team of Capgemini colleagues first began brainstorming ways to use technology for environmental good, they never imagined that in the future their idea could potentially help safeguard water supplies for millions of people – or change how the world monitors its reservoirs. Yet that is what their solution could ultimately offer.

As part of Capgemini’s Tech4Positive Futures Challenge, Nawfal Majdoub, a senior quality manager, and Anas Ait Iflach, a project management engineer, along with a small but dedicated team, are developing an AI-powered water-based drone that can detect harmful algal blooms in dams and reservoirs. The project could help countries protect that most precious of resources: water that is safe to drink.

Joining the team

When Nawfal was first approached to work on the challenge, he and the team started brainstorming what they could do around urgent environmental issues in Morocco.

“With our partner, the Mohammed V University in Rabat, we soon identified harmful algal blooms in dams as a serious concern.”

Anas joined the team soon after: “My manager approached our team because they needed an engineer that had experience in electrical and AI fields,” he says. “It feels good to be part of a team that is addressing an issue every citizen in Morocco is dealing with.”

The problem of water scarcity

In Morocco, severe water scarcity is a growing problem. Dams are crucial for storing and distributing freshwater but, in recent years, many have been affected by harmful algal blooms – rapid growths of algae that can contaminate water, threaten biodiversity, and even disrupt supply to local populations.

Until now, blooms have been detected by eye, which meant that by the time action was taken, the water quality was already compromised. The Capgemini team wanted to change that.

“Our goal is to develop a water-based drone with eco sensors and a remote alert system with integrated AI capabilities that can accurately detect blooms earlier,” says Nawfal. “That way, authorities can act to prevent contamination.”

The drone is designed to move along the surface of reservoirs, where toxic blooms form, and will be tested at a dam in northern Morocco.

“Using a drone for early detection will help maintain clean water and prevent major disruptions,” says Anas. “Algal blooms can create toxins and water deoxygenation that are harmful to other organisms in lakes and reservoirs – but closing a dam can affect millions of people’s water supply. Our solution will protect both people and ecosystems.”

The power of collaboration

“We knew success would depend on strong collaboration and communication,” Nawfal says. “Everyone involved – at Capgemini, the university, and the Loukkos Hydraulic Basin Agency, which manages water in this region of Morocco – understood that we had to work as one team.”

On Capgemini’s side, that team includes mechanical, design, electrical, and AI engineers. Despite their different roles, the group shares the same sense of purpose. That, Nawfal says, is typical of Capgemini’s culture.

“Capgemini’s strength is in bringing people together. Everyone contributes ideas and supports each other. We’re all motivated by the same goal – to make the solution real.”

Engineering in action

Working closely with the university, the team tested several detection methods and chose spectrometry – the measurement of interactions between light and matter – as the most effective. They then began to program the detection algorithms while awaiting hardware delivery.

The prototype system will be tested on real water samples from the university’s laboratories and collected across all four seasons to capture various growth stages. Meanwhile, the team is preparing AI-based prediction models using satellite imagery to forecast where blooms are most likely to form.

“The potential here is inspiring,” says Nawfal. “It could be used in lakes and other sources of water, and not only in Morocco but in other countries that are struggling with water scarcity. It could also be adapted to monitor other substances like oil. That prospect gives us real pride. It’s also proof that collaboration between industry and academia can solve real problems. The university brings scientific expertise; we bring engineering and digital innovation. Together, we achieve what neither could do alone.”

For Anas, the lesson is broader: “The challenge shows how teamwork and innovation can create a more sustainable and resilient future, and what’s possible when we combine technology with purpose. It shows us how we can take an idea and make it real.”