Advisor Information
Jose Baca Garcia
Location
Criss Library
Presentation Type
Poster
Start Date
3-3-2017 12:30 PM
End Date
3-3-2017 1:45 PM
Abstract
In this project we address the problem of autonomously detecting airborne gas particles using gas sensors that are mobilized using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The main hypothesis we investigate is whether a commercially available, off-the-shelf gas sensor can be suitably integrated on a UAV platform to detect ambient gas particles. The main challenges in this problem include addressing the weight constraints of the UAV’s payload and registering a consistent reading on the gas sensor in the presence of the turbulence in the air caused by the UAV’s rotors. To verify our hypothesis, we designed a passive funneling mechanism for airborne particle gathering that is attached to a gas sensor on the UAV using 3D printed parts so that the sensor can be in the vicinity of the gas source, without the UAV’s propellers causing disruptive air turbulence. The results of this project advance research in using UAVs autonomously in different missions that are very hazardous for humans including detecting smoke and carbon particles resulting from domestic or forest fires, detecting chemical fumes emitted by buried unexploded ordnance (UXO) such as landmines, and detecting hazardous emissions from chemical spills.
Passive Chemical Detection System for UAVs
Criss Library
In this project we address the problem of autonomously detecting airborne gas particles using gas sensors that are mobilized using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The main hypothesis we investigate is whether a commercially available, off-the-shelf gas sensor can be suitably integrated on a UAV platform to detect ambient gas particles. The main challenges in this problem include addressing the weight constraints of the UAV’s payload and registering a consistent reading on the gas sensor in the presence of the turbulence in the air caused by the UAV’s rotors. To verify our hypothesis, we designed a passive funneling mechanism for airborne particle gathering that is attached to a gas sensor on the UAV using 3D printed parts so that the sensor can be in the vicinity of the gas source, without the UAV’s propellers causing disruptive air turbulence. The results of this project advance research in using UAVs autonomously in different missions that are very hazardous for humans including detecting smoke and carbon particles resulting from domestic or forest fires, detecting chemical fumes emitted by buried unexploded ordnance (UXO) such as landmines, and detecting hazardous emissions from chemical spills.