Ukrainian students recycle used e-cigarettes to make drone droppers and power banks

Chernivtsi Polytechnic College students recycle disposable electronic cigarettes to help the Ukrainian military.

The college director Liudmila Fesik told Suspilne they were making drone devices that could drop ammunition and power banks.

What is the problem?

Disposable e-cigarettes, which have recently become popular among young people, contain batteries that can pollute the environment if disposed of incorrectly. They present a triple threat to the environment: plastic waste, electronic waste, and hazardous waste. They should not be thrown into the trash, as each e-cigarette can poison 20 m² of soil with heavy metals.

What is the solution?

Since Ukrainian defenders always need many drones for reconnaissance and combat missions, as they're practically consumables at the front line, students of polytechnic college in the southwestern city of Chernivtsi have found a solution to the environmental problem of e-cigarettes that can help the Ukrainian army.

Students  "kill two birds with one stone" by removing batteries from used disposable e-cigarettes. Those suitable are tested and used to create power banks and drone droppers. The parts are made on a self-made 3D printer.

In addition to power banks, students have orders for six droppers. These are devices that attach to drones and drop ammunition. 

How does it work?

More than 30 batteries are used to create one power bank. The power is enough for about a week and a half. The power bank can be charged. 4th-year student Oleksii Hlovatskyi made the first power bank for his father, who is serving at the front line. Now he makes devices for other soldiers all the time.

"Now we have an order for five power banks. Earlier, we produced a power bank with a different module. It could be charged from any power source, such as a tank," says Oleksii.

Ivan Skrypnichenko, a 4th-year student, makes droppers for the most part. The guy makes both universal devices and different sizes, depending on the ammunition. Director Fesik says the dropper is the original development of one of the college professors.

"With the help of an electric motor, the rails that hold the ammunition are pulled out. There is a light sensor that responds to the drone's flashlights. It sends a signal, and the motor opens," says Ivan.

Droppes and cases for power banks in the college are made of PET plastic on a 3D printer, which they made themselves. Professors make 3D models of parts.

The professor said that they first sent devices to college graduates, who are at the front line. These are almost 60 people. Later they began to supply other military personnel as well.

The college organized a collection point, encouraging everyone who uses e-cigarettes to bring used-up devices for recycling