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Drones may be used to fight pollution
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UNMANNED aerial vehicles, or drones, might soon be used to help environment officials combat air pollution.
Though a detailed agreement has yet to be reached, the Shanghai Environmental Protection Bureau said it is in talks with Shanghai Jiao Tong University about using the machines for research.
Staff at the university’s center for intelligent transport and unmanned vehicles have already begun testing drones fitted with air quality monitoring devices able to gather data about the spatial distribution of pollutants, it said.
“Aerial vehicles would add a new dimension to our monitoring efforts and could be used alongside ground stations, weather balloons and satellites,” said Fu Qingyan, a spokeswoman for the Shanghai Environmental Monitoring Center.
“Because they are not tethered, they can collect accurate data at different altitudes,” she said.
By building up a better picture of the air pollution, authorities will be better able to respond to it, she said.
While it is unlikely that drones would be used on a daily basis, Fu said they could be deployed on specific occasions, such as before and after hazy days, to collect data on how pollutants move into and out of the city.
They might also prove useful in deciding evacuation routes in the event of gas or chemical leaks, Fu said.
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