Autonomous Water Quality Monitoring: Integrating UWB Ad-Hoc Networks, Sensor Calibration, and Kubernetes Cloud Architecture

Abstract

Water quality monitoring plays a critical role in ensuring environmental sustainability and public health. Traditional methods, while accurate, are time-consuming and lack the ability to provide real-time insights. This study proposes a secure, scalable IoT-based solution utilizing autonomous sensor-equipped boats designed to measure pH, turbidity, and temperature in aquatic environments. The boats navigate predefined grid coordinates generated through a Python-based script and communicate data using UWB in a decentralized ad hoc network operating under the AODV routing protocol. Preprocessed sensor data is transmitted to a base station and securely forwarded to a Kubernetes-based cloud infrastructure for real-time processing and visualization. Communication between the base station and cloud services is secured using HTTPS/TLS encryption. Experimental trials confirm reliable navigation, high sensor accuracy, low latency, and robust security. The system remains cloud-agnostic and is compatible with a range of open-source Kubernetes distributions, enabling deployment flexibility across various environments. This research demonstrates an effective, autonomous approach to real-time water quality monitoring, advancing scalable and sustainable environmental management