Detecting gas leaks using unmanned aerial vehicles

Abstract

Methods, systems and computer program products for detecting gas leaks using a drone are provided. Aspects include capturing a first set of data regarding a presence of a gas in the geographic area while flying along the initial flight path. Aspects also include creating secondary flight paths through regions in the geographic area in which the presence of the gas exceeds a threshold amount and capturing a second set of data regarding a concentration of the gas in the one or more regions while flying along the secondary flight paths. Aspects further include capturing wind data while flying along the initial and second flight paths and creating a three-dimensional gas plume model for gas leaks identified in the geographic area based on the first set of data, the second set of data and the wind data, wherein the three-dimensional gas plume model identifies a source of the gas leaks.

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         11 . A drone for detecting gas leaks in a geographic area, the drone comprising:
 a memory;   a processor communicatively coupled to the memory, wherein the processor is configured to perform a method comprising:
 capturing a first set of data regarding a presence of a gas in a geographic area while flying along an initial flight path through the geographic area; 
 creating one or more secondary flight paths through one or more regions in the geographic area in which the presence of the gas exceeds a threshold amount; 
 capturing a second set of data regarding a concentration of the gas in the one or more regions while flying along the one or more secondary flight paths; 
 capturing wind data in the geographic area while flying along the initial flight path and the one or more secondary flight paths; and 
 creating a three-dimensional gas plume model for gas leaks identified in the geographic area based on the first set of data, the second set of data and the wind data, wherein the three-dimensional gas plume model identifies a location of a source of the gas leaks. 
   
     
     
         12 . The drone of  claim 11 , the method further comprises creating the initial flight path based on a three-dimensional model of the geographic area, wherein the three-dimensional model of the geographic area is created by the drone. 
     
     
         13 . The drone of  claim 12 , wherein the three-dimensional model of the geographic area is created based on a plurality of GPS tagged images and measurements of objects in the geographic area captured by the drone. 
     
     
         14 . The drone of  claim 13 , wherein the initial flight path includes a grid pattern through an entirety of the geographic area, wherein the grid pattern is created based on the three-dimensional model of the geographic area to avoid impact with objects in the geographic area. 
     
     
         15 . The drone of  claim 11 , wherein the second set of data regarding the concentration of the gas in the geographic area includes a plurality of gas concentrations captured by a volatile organic compound (VOC) sensor disposed on the drone. 
     
     
         16 . The drone of  claim 11 , wherein the first set of data regarding the presence of the gas in the geographic area includes a plurality of infrared images of the geographic area captured by the drone. 
     
     
         17 . The drone of  claim 11 , wherein the initial flight path includes a grid pattern through an entirety of the geographic area. 
     
     
         18 . The drone of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more secondary flight paths includes a spiral pattern through each of the one or more regions. 
     
     
         19 . A computer readable non-transitory article of manufacture tangibly embodying computer readable instructions which, when executed, cause a computer device to carry out the steps of a method comprising:
 capturing, by a drone, a first set of data regarding a presence of a gas in a geographic area while flying along an initial flight path through the geographic area;   creating one or more secondary flight paths through one or more regions in the geographic area in which the presence of the gas exceeds a threshold amount;   capturing, by a drone, a second set of data regarding a concentration of the gas in the one or more regions while flying along the one or more secondary flight paths;   capturing, by a drone, wind data in the geographic area while flying along the initial flight path and the one or more secondary flight paths; and   creating a three-dimensional gas plume model for gas leaks identified in the geographic area based on the first set of data, the second set of data and the wind data, wherein the three-dimensional gas plume model identifies a location of a source of the gas leaks.   
     
     
         20 . The computer readable non-transitory article of manufacture of  claim 19 , the method further comprises creating the initial flight path based on a three-dimensional model of the geographic area, wherein the three-dimensional model of the geographic area is created by the drone. 
     
     
         21 . The computer readable non-transitory article of manufacture of  claim 20 , wherein the three-dimensional model of the geographic area is created based on a plurality of GPS tagged images and measurements of objects in the geographic area captured by the drone. 
     
     
         22 . The computer readable non-transitory article of manufacture of  claim 21 , wherein the initial flight path includes a grid pattern through an entirety of the geographic area, wherein the grid pattern is created based on the three-dimensional model of the geographic area to avoid impact with objects in the geographic area. 
     
     
         23 . The computer readable non-transitory article of manufacture of  claim 19 , wherein the second set of data regarding the concentration of the gas in the geographic area includes a plurality of gas concentrations captured by a volatile organic compound (VOC) sensor disposed on the drone. 
     
     
         24 . The computer readable non-transitory article of manufacture of  claim 19 , wherein the first set of data regarding the presence of the gas in the geographic area includes a plurality of infrared images of the geographic area captured by the drone. 
     
     
         25 . The computer readable non-transitory article of manufacture of  claim 19 , wherein the initial flight path includes a grid pattern through an entirety of the geographic area.