An Unmanned Aerial Vehicle for Air Quality and Meteorology Measurements

Abstract:

Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) platforms offer complementarity to surface-based and aircraft measurements allowing for high temporal and spatial resolution measurements of the lower atmospheric boundary layer in areas of interest (i.e. civil infrastructure, coastal areas). Here, a UAV prototype consisting of an octocopter drone that allows single and multipoint measurements of thermodynamic parameters, and gas and aerosol species is described. The UAV is equipped with temperature, humidity, and pressure sensors providing real-time measurements of atmospheric state. Furthermore, it is equipped with low-cost sensors to monitor ozone, nitrogen oxides, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Aerosol size distribution is determined using an optical particle counter for size ranges from 0.35 to 30 µm. In addition, the UAV is equipped with a 4-stage impactor to collect size-segregated particles on substrates at desired altitude for subsequent micro-spectroscopic analysis and ice nucleation characterization. The instrumental payload is controlled via onboard computer in connection by Wi-Fi with the ground station. Temperature, humidity, pressure, O₃, NO, NO₂, VOC, and aerosol size distribution data are transmitted during flight and plotted online in a web browser. This allows in situ decisions during flight on sampling time and location in the air mass. Instrument data stream is updated every 3 seconds; however, internal instrument data is recorded at instrument-specific maximum frequencies and can be downloaded after flight. The configuration of the UAV octocopter prototype, sensor calibration, and first evaluation flights at Stony Brook University’s UAV test field are presented. This UAV platform presents a valuable addition to field measurements allowing, e.g., the continuous monitoring of air pollutants above the canopy level and, thus, detection of pollution air masses and sampling of associated particulate matter for offline analysis.