The EPA Victoria drones now have even more capabilities.
The Environment Protection Authority Victoria flies hi-tech aerial drones over industrial sites and pollution incidents, and now it can do even more.
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The state’s environmental watchdog has equipped its existing drones with a new aerial air pollutant detection and mapping system, which means they can now detect air pollution.
The new feature adds to the drones’ existing uses, including collecting water samples, detecting hotspots and fire risks in waste stockpiles, as well as inspecting landfills, illegal dumping sites and spills.
EPA executive director operations Joss Crawford said the gas detection system provided detailed information on the move, for EPA officers on the ground.
“The sniffer drone gives us real-time gas concentrations and distributions, that will help assess total emissions from the landfill, oil and gas refinery, wastewater treatment plant or other industrial site we’re inspecting,” she said.
“The new technology also enables us to pinpoint significant sources at these sites, so we can then target the real cause of pollution and direct measures to do something about it.”
The new system aligns with the EPA’s increased focus on landfills this year, combining direct engagement and education with strengthened monitoring and enforcement to prevent typical landfill issues with gas, leachate and contamination of the land and water.
The new technology allows EPA officers to measure common pollutants such as carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulphide, particulates such as dust or smoke, and methane, a common byproduct of landfills.
The collected data is processed to provide real-time 3D visualisation of the pollutants to pinpoint the source and enable targeted and effective intervention.
Ms Crawford said each pollutant “comes with its own challenges”.
“Hydrogen sulphide creates immediate problems with odour, while carbon monoxide is a poison with no smell at all, and mostly affects the old, people with heart or lung disease, pregnant women and small children, and methane is a greenhouse gas associated with climate change,” she said.
EPA Victoria’s drones conduct over 500 flights across the state each year, detecting, mapping and sampling pollution from the sky.
“EPA’s drones give our frontline officers practical tools that make the job of detecting and stopping pollution faster and more effective,” Ms Crawford said.
EPA Victoria drones fly over industrial sites and pollution incidents, and can now sniff out air pollution.
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