Apparatus and method for trace gas detection utilizing unmanned aerial vehicles

Abstract

An apparatus for trace gas detection includes an unmanned aerial vehicle and a sensor package including an ambient environmental parameter sensor and a gas sensor for trace gas detection. A trace gas detection system includes two such unmanned aerial vehicles and a ground station all adapted for monitoring ambient environmental parameters and trace gas detection.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for trace gas detection, comprising:
 an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) including a receiver; and   a sensor package held on a support carried in said receiver, said sensor package including at least one ambient environmental parameter sensor for detecting current temperature, current relative humidity and current barometric pressure and at least one gas sensor for detecting in real time presence of at least two gases to be monitored by the apparatus.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one gas sensor is configured to detect the presence of at least two of methane, propane and butane. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said at least one gas sensor is configured to detect the presence of methane, propane and butane. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said at least one gas sensor is configured to detect the presence of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further including a GPS locator device providing real time location coordinates for said UAV. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein said at least one gas sensor is further configured to detect a volatile organic compound (VOC). 
     
     
         7 . A trace gas detection system, comprising:
 a first unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) including a first sensor package having a first environmental parameter sensor for detecting current temperature, current relative humidity and current barometric pressure and a first gas sensor for detecting in real time presence of at least one gas to be monitored by the trace gas detection system; and   a second UAV including a second sensor package having a second ambient environmental parameter sensor for detecting current temperature, current relative humidity and current barometric pressure and a second gas sensor for detecting in real time the presence of said at the least one gas to be monitored by the trace gas detection system whereby gas detection is simultaneously provided at two points within an area being monitored by said trace gas detection system.   
     
     
         8 . The trace gas detection system of  claim 7 , wherein said first gas sensor and said second gas sensor are configured to detect the presence of at least two of methane, propane and butane. 
     
     
         9 . The trace gas detection system of  claim 7 , wherein said first gas sensor and said second gas sensor are configured to detect the presence of methane, propane and butane. 
     
     
         10 . The trace gas detection system of  claim 7 , wherein said first gas sensor and said second gas sensor are configured to detect the presence of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide. 
     
     
         11 . The trace gas detection system of  claim 7 , wherein said first UAV includes a first GPS locator device providing real time location coordinates for said first UAV and said second UAV includes a second GPS locator device providing real time location coordinates for said second UAV. 
     
     
         12 . The trace gas detection system of  claim 7 , wherein said first gas sensor and said second gas sensor are further configured to detect a volatile organic compound (VOC). 
     
     
         13 . The trace gas detection system of  claim 7  further including a ground station including a third sensor package having a third ambient environmental parameter sensor for detecting current temperature, current relative humidity and current barometric pressure and a third gas sensor for detecting in real time the presence of said at least one gas to be monitored by the trace gas detection system whereby gas detection is simultaneously provided at three points within an area being monitored by said trace gas detection system. 
     
     
         14 . A method of monitoring an area for gas detection, comprising:
 flying a first unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with a first sensor package on a first flight profile through said area;   simultaneously flying a second UAV with a second sensor package on a second flight profile through said area;   monitoring current location of said first UAV by a first GPS locator and monitoring current location of said second UAV by a second GPS locator; and   simultaneously detecting presence of at least one gas of interest with said first sensor package and said second sensor package.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , including providing said first profile along a first axis through said area and providing said second profile along a second, different axis through said area. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said first axis is vertical and said second axis is horizontal. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , further including detecting current ambient temperature, relative humidity and barometric pressure by operation of a first ambient parameter sensor on said first UAV and a second ambient parameter sensor on said second UAV. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further including locating a ground station with a third sensor package within said area. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further including simultaneously detecting the presence of the at least one gas of interest with said first sensor package, said second sensor package and said third sensor package whereby gas detection is simultaneously provided at three different locations within said area. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further including detecting current ambient temperature, relative humidity and barometric pressure by operation of a third ambient parameter sensor on said ground station.