Using Advanced Aerial Platforms and Infrared Thermography to Track Environmental Contamination

TLDR

This study introduces new methods and applications for detecting, evaluating, and tracking environmental contamination using advanced aerial platforms, sensors, and software, specifically to detect pollution in rivers and the sea. The approach uses manned and unmanned aircraft, including fixed‑wing UAVs and rotorcraft, equipped with multispectral and electro‑optical infrared cameras and advanced detection software. The system, employed by the Italian Coast Guard, effectively detects illegal sewer and storm‑drain violations, demonstrates that infrared thermography is ideal for contamination detection, and shows that a mix of aircraft types can globally scan and locally focus sites, producing a high‑resolution database that benchmarks future investigations.

Abstract

This study introduces new methods and applications for detecting, evaluating, and tracking signs of environmental contamination using a variety of advanced aerial platforms, a suite of advanced sensors, and new detection software. Aerial platform examples include: manned aircraft and helicopters, unmanned fixed wing aircraft (UAV), and unmanned rotorcraft. The onboard sensors include an array of multispectral and electro-optical infrared cameras. The developed system, which is being used by the Italian Coast Guard, is ideal for detecting illegal and unauthorized sewer and storm-drain environmental policy violations. The methods presented here were developed to detect pollution in rivers and the sea. The results of these current studies show that: (1) infrared thermography is an ideal tool to detect environmental contamination, (2) a variety of aerial platforms ranging from manned aircraft to small unmanned rotorcraft should be used to first globally scan the region and then locally focus on the suspected site, and (3) the measured high resolution database accurately defines the current state of the region which provides a benchmark for future investigations.