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The Role of Unmanned Aerial Systems/Sensors in Air Quality Research
Citation:
Gullett, B., X. Zhou, Bill Mitchell, J. Aurell, Chris Geron, C. Secrest, AND S. Moore. The Role of Unmanned Aerial Systems/Sensors in Air Quality Research. Presented at 14th International Congress on Combustion By-Products and Their Health Effects, Umea, SWEDEN, June 14 - 17, 2015.
Impact/Purpose:
This abstract, destined for an oral presentation or poster presentation, discusses the role of unmanned aerial sampling in combination with lightweight sensors. The purpose of the abstract is to introduce these developing methods for assessing air quality. No regulatory or industrial impact is foreseen.
Description:
The use of unmanned aerial systems (UASs) for a variety of scientific and security purposes has rapidly increased. UASs include aerostats (tethered balloons) and remotely controlled, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) including lighter-than-air vessels, fixed wing airplanes, and heli/multi-rotor copters. This expansion of use is due to advances in global positioning satellite (GPS) technology, battery technical improvements, data transmittal and storage capability, aeronautical design, materials, and ground-based flight control systems. With the advent of innovative, miniaturized environmental sensors, sensor-equipped UASs can rapidly and efficiently characterize air pollutant levels, determine source pollutant strength, identify water pollution issues, characterize land use patterns/change, and provide real-time data on environmental hazards at minimal cost. UASs have the potential to significantly improve the way we take environmental measurements while operating within operational regulations proposed by aviation authorities. This presentation proposes to highlight the potential uses for UAS/sensors in open area emission sampling through case studies of prescribed and wildland fires, military ordnance disposal, flares, and industrial plants. Selection of a UAS type for aerial sampling of emissions is dependent upon the source characteristics (e.g., plume loft, duration/intermittency), site characteristics (e.g., accessibility and launch/lift off area), the payload requirements (i.e., number and type of samplers), and the geographical breadth of the measurements (i.e., vertical or horizontal data needs). Sensor selection for UAV payloads must consider the pollutant type (what sampler is needed?), the pollutant concentration (how much volume needs to be sampled to exceed the detection limit?), the concentration range and gradient (how fast does the sensor have to respond and recover?), and potential signal interferents.Together, newly developed sensor and UAV systems have the opportunity to significantly enhance our ability to effectively, quickly, and cost effectively characterize sources of air emissions.