Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Table 9.3
Examples of instrument payloads for UAVs and aerostats used by the author
(after Pieri
et al.
,
2013
).
Payload
mass (kg)
Operating
altitudes (ft)
UAV platforms
Instruments
Tethered balloon
1
SO
2
, temperature, pressure
and humidity detectors;
GPS, telemetry
0
5,000 ft
AGL
<
-
Kite
1
SO
2
, temperature, pressure
and humidity detectors;
GPS, pan-camera
0
5,000 ft
AGL
<
-
Micro-UAV,
Dragon Eye (by
Aerovironment Inc.)
0.5
SO
2
, temperature, pressure
and humidity detectors;
GPS, optical particle counters
(OPCs), nano-PC, color
VIS camera, Lo
Light VIS, thermal IR, evacuated
sampling bottle
12,000
ASL
<
>
Micro-UAV, Vector
Wing 100
(by Maryland
Aerospace, Inc.)
1
SO
2
, temperature, pressure and
humidity detectors;
GPS, color VIS camera
15,000 ASL
<
Medium-UAV,
SIERRA, SIERRA
II (operated by
NASA Ames
Research Center)
<
45
ULISSES mass spectrometer;
SO
2
, temperature, pressure
and humidity detectors;
GPS, multispectral imaging,
bolometer, optical particle
counters, liquid aerosol probe,
mini-nephelometer, aerosol
drum impactors
15,000 ASL
Figure 9.2 Picture of the SIERRA on display at Palo Alto Airport, California,
USA. Note the substantial payload capability (up to 100 lb, 45 kg) in the
interchangeable nose. This increases its
flexibility for multiple instrument mis-
sions. Photo by Dan Dawson, with permission.
