P1AP.18 - Using Airflows Generated by Multicopter for Gas Detection in Midair

Event
17th International Meeting on Chemical Sensors - IMCS 2018
2018-07-15 - 2018-07-19
Vienna, Austria
Chapter
P-1 - Applications of Chemical Sensors
Author(s)
H. Ishida, K. Tanaka, S. Koguchi, R. Sato - Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo (Japan), J. Ramos Ramirez - University of the Philippines Diliman, Quezon City (Phillipines), H. Matsukura - Osaka University, Osaka (Japan)
Pages
470 - 471
DOI
10.5162/IMCS2018/P1AP.18
ISBN
978-3-9816876-9-9
Price
free

Abstract

A new robotic gas sensing system that uses an airflow generated by multicopters is proposed. Although a multi-rotor drone appears to be an attractive platform for gas sensing robots, strong airflow generated by its rotors when it flies poses a serious problem. Gas puffs leaked from the ground are never detected at the fas sensors on a multicopter because the all are blown away from the multicopter. In the proposed method, two multicopters connected by a string are used, and a gas sensor is placed at the midpoint of the string. The downward airflow generated by the rotors of the drone spreads radially after it reaches the ground. When two multicopters are connected, the airflows spreading radially from the two multicopters collide at the center, and are deflected in the upward direction. Gas puffs wafting near the ground surface between the two multicopters are carried by this upward airflow to the gas sensor. Thus, detection of the gar near the ground surface by the multicopters in midair is enabled. Experimental results are presented to show the soundness of the proposed method. A result of computational fluid dynamics simulation is also presented to show the possibility of adopting the same method in a single multicopter system.

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