Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 5, 2026
08:53
The Measurement of Unsteady Surface Pressure Using a Remote Microphone Probe
Published on: December 3, 2016
6.9K
Development and Testing of a Rocket-Based Sensor for Atmospheric Sensing Using an Unmanned Aerial System
1Department of Chemistry, Snow College, Richfield, UT 84701, USA.
Sensors (Basel, Switzerland)
|March 28, 2024
Summary
Inexpensive sensors on unmanned aerial systems (UASs) provide accurate atmospheric measurements for air quality research. These low-cost sensors are suitable for educational and research applications, offering repeatable data collection.
Area of Science:
- Atmospheric Science
- Environmental Monitoring
- Sensor Technology
Background:
- Understanding the lower atmosphere's vertical structure is crucial for air quality assessment.
- Unmanned Aerial Systems (UASs) offer a cost-effective method for obtaining repeatable atmospheric data.
- Previous methods may be limited by cost or accessibility for detailed vertical profiling.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the performance of inexpensive sensors for measuring atmospheric parameters using UASs.
- To compare UAS-mounted sensor data with meteorology-grade instruments.
- To assess the feasibility of using low-cost sensors for vertical aerosol distribution and atmospheric profiling.
Main Methods:
- Inexpensive sensors (Arduino, Bosch BME280, Sensiron SPS30) were integrated onto a UAS.
- Two sampling modes were tested: forward-moving and vertical ascent.
- Sensor performance was validated against a meteorology-grade sensor.
- Aerosol distribution was measured during an inversion event.
- Sensors were also deployed on a rocket sounding platform up to 400 m.
Main Results:
- The thermocouple temperature probe and Bosch BME280 relative humidity sensor showed good correlation with the meteorology-grade sensor.
- The integrated small particle sensor successfully retrieved vertical aerosol distributions during an inversion.
- The rocket sounding system performed adequately up to 400 m.
Conclusions:
- Inexpensive sensors are adequate for low-cost atmospheric measurements using UASs.
- These sensors are suitable for educational purposes and research applications requiring vertical profiling.
- UAS-based sensor platforms provide a viable tool for air quality and atmospheric research.
Related Concept Videos
01:13Rocket Propulsion in Empty Space - I
2.7K
The driving force for the motion of any vehicle is friction, but in the case of rocket propulsion in space, the friction force is not present. The motion of a rocket changes its velocity (and hence its momentum) by ejecting burned fuel gases, thus causing it to accelerate in the direction opposite to the velocity of the ejected fuel. In this situation, the mass and velocity of the rocket constantly change along with the total mass of ejected gases. Due to conservation of momentum, the...
2.7K
01:12Rocket Propulsion In Empty Space - II
2.9K
The motion of a rocket is governed by the conservation of momentum principle. A rocket's momentum changes by the same amount (with the opposite sign) as the ejected gases. As time goes by, the rocket's mass (which includes the mass of the remaining fuel) continuously decreases, and its velocity increases. Therefore, the principle of conservation of momentum is used to explain the dynamics of a rocket's motion. The ideal rocket equation gives the change in velocity that a rocket...
2.9K
01:26Impact: Problem Solving
615
In an experiment conducted during a Mars mission, a rover propels a projectile with an initial velocity, and the projectile rebounds after colliding with the Martian surface. To ascertain the maximum height attained by the projectile after this collision, the known restitution coefficient and acceleration due to gravity are employed.
By designating the launch point as the origin and utilizing kinematic equations, the vertical component of the projectile's velocity at the point of impact is...
By designating the launch point as the origin and utilizing kinematic equations, the vertical component of the projectile's velocity at the point of impact is...
615
01:29Application of Linearization and Approximation
193
A drone flying through complex terrain often relies on more than one sensing method to estimate small changes in altitude. Along with direct measurements, air pressure provides a useful indirect indicator of vertical movement. Atmospheric pressure decreases as altitude increases, and this relationship is commonly described using an exponential model. Although accurate, converting pressure measurements into altitude values requires calculations that are too complex to perform repeatedly during...
193