Air Monitoring 31


Using a fi xed wing UAV permits fl ight times of up to 90 minutes, allowing complex fl ight patterns and the ability to track the development of plumes over time. A long fl ight also enables surveying of air quality over larger areas than would be possible with conventional ground-based sensors. The fl ight pattern can also be tailored to fi t with the instrument sampling, for example by holding a suitable pattern to integrate measurements over time at a particular location. It should however be noted that the fl ight capabilities depend on the local rules, and in the UK this is regulated by the UK Civil Aviation Authority, and is generally limited to visual line of sight without special approval.


An example of another application of the instrument package is measurements of air pollution in UK ports. On the 1st of January 2020 a major change occurred in the legal sulphur content of shipping fuel – from 3.5% to 0.5% by mass. The anticipated effect of the new regulation is improvement of coastal air quality and, since Sulphur is believed to be a negative climate forcer, a potential positive infl uence on climate. The instrument package has been tested for identifying ship emissions in collaboration lead by Prof James Lee at the University of York. The inclusion of the CO2 sensor facilitates direct measurements of ship emissions by emission ratios to the other species, demonstrating the versatility of the instrument.


Figure 5. Test results from running the instrument in a domestic environment.


validate models of plume dispersion, which are used for forecasts and mitigation during volcanic eruptions.


Work done to reduce sampling inlet bias is applicable to any project involving particulate sampling with a UAV and could form a starting point for future projects with STFC UAVs. Future work includes investigating further application areas and test fl ights of


Author Contact Details Figure 4. E384 payload bay with instrument. Conclusions


Our ambition for this instrument is to not only provide a direct measure of air quality over local communities, but also help


Ethiopia welcomes in a new era in sustainable and reliable weather insights by powering weather radar network with solar energy


Vaisala took another step in modernising Ethiopia’s weather and climate observations by powering a C-band Weather Radar with solar power system on-site. The solar panels and backup batteries ensure constant uptime of the weather radar, which in turn enables


weather authorities maintain reliable operations and honour Vaisala’s commitment to environmental sustainability.


The weather radar network in Ethiopia is renewed and expanded as part of a project to advance the country’s capability in weather forecasting. To overcome challenges posed by an unreliable electricity grid, the new solar power system will keep the weather radar continuously operational and with its battery backup system for up to four days even without solar radiation.


“Climate change feeds extreme weather around the world, including Ethiopia, where people are more vulnerable to the impact of severe weather events like fl ooding, drought, and hail,” said Jarkko Sairanen, Executive Vice President, Weather and Environment, Vaisala. “Through the solar powered weather radar network we bring another industry fi rst solution, which raises in a diffi cult environment the capabilities of Ethiopian authorities to provide their society insights in a reliable way, and simultaneously provides another step toward a healthier planet for us all.”


The now launched solar powered weather radar is the fi rst one in a network of 4 C-band weather radars to be installed in Ethiopia.


For More Info, email: email:


For More Info, email: email:


59314pr@reply-direct.com WWW.ENVIROTECH-ONLINE.COM


Dr Dan Peters, Scientist at RAL space • Fermi Ave, Harwell, Didcot OX11 0QX • Email: daniel.peters@stfc.ac.uk • Web: www.ralspace.stfc.ac.uk


the UAV with the sensor package.


This work has been funded via the STFC Air quality network (https://www.saqn.org/) during the scoping study “A UAV-ready sensor package for rapid deployment during volcanic crisis” and the proof of concept study “Enabling the remote measurement of air pollution emissions in UK ports”.


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