Long-endurance UAV for collecting air quality data with high spatial and temporal resolutions

Project facts

Project promoter:
The Silesian University of Technology(PL)
Project Number:
PL-Applied Research-0030
Status:
In implementation
Initial project cost:
€1,498,511
Donor Project Partners:
Norwegian Research Center AS(NO)
Other Project Partners
SkyTech eLab sp. z o.o.(PL)
University of Warsaw(PL)
Programme:

More information

Description

The project aims at developing a system for collecting air quality data with high spatial and temporal resolution covering levels from the low troposphere to the lower stratosphere. It addresses at least: low emissions, pollution from industry, and from natural sources. This data is necessary to warn occupants of areas affected by exceeding pollution and to control pollution and migration of aerosols across the countries.
The following issues will be developed and implemented:
• A methodology of collecting air quality data with high spatial and temporal resolution, processing and analyzing them, and then presenting to end-users.
• A lightweight and energy efficient measuring system capable of satisfying the methodology requirements.
• A UAV of very long (or even unlimited) flight duration, capable of sampling pollution data in the range from the low troposphere up to 20-22 km altitude.
• An autopilot and a mission planning system capable of optimizing and on-line updating flight plans.
• IT system for data storing, processing, analyzing, and making it available to approved users.
The result will be a fully-operable demonstrator of the system, tested and validated in two different environments: the Silesian Metropoly in Poland, and on Svalbard in Norway.
These results will be valuable for international applications by governmental or scientific institutions targeted on controlling air pollution and migration of aerosols spanning from low to very high altitudes in the atmosphere.
Added values to this project: donor partner - its experience in the application of UAVs for collecting data in polar regions, and in development of IT systems for collecting massive data; SUT – an experience in implementing robot-based monitoring systems, and development of autopilots and flight planning software; eLab – a concept of High Altitude Long Endurance energy-efficient UAV; UW – methodology of collecting pollution data and developing portable measurement systems.

Information on the projects funded by the EEA and Norway Grants is provided by the Programme and Fund Operators in the Beneficiary States, who are responsible for the completeness and accuracy of this information.