Lindsay Barbieri (Bar) - currently posting status on: MISSION: UAV Science Research in Vietnam
UAV PLATFORMS
3D mapping with the open-source drone platform that the 3DR uses - this process is also how you get 2D orthophotos: http://copter.ardupilot.com/wiki/common-3d-mapping/
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Little quadcopter that could serve as a trainer: Hubsan X4
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The Drone System:
Requires: Windows laptop, or an Android based tablet with OTG capability to run the software for the ground-station, so you can track battery levels, GPS, etc. in real time.
Drone - hardware we'd need to get it up and running.
Camera will also be necessary, which will run ~$100 used on ebay which I can point you to.
- Drone Notes: What Platform
http://hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__55105__Quanum_Nova_FPV_GPS_Waypoint_QuadCopter_Mode_1_Ready_to_Fly_.html - Adding Telemetry Downlink to Nova: http://diydrones.com/profiles/blogs/adding-3dr-radio-telemetry-to-the-quanum-nova-apm-powered-copter
3DR Iris drone - which is made by the same company that builds the open-source flight software that both of these drones run on (ArduPilot) - Iris product link: https://store.3drobotics.com/products/iris
SENSORS:
GHG INSTRUMENT
Methane (CH4)
Ideally some sort of low-energy laser diode which reads methane concentrations? Paul sent around a paper and a powerpoint on folks who have done such things. This may be Phase II.
- Methane Sensor (although min. sensitivity is 200ppm...... it's $5): https://www.sparkfun.com/products/9404
- Actually, all of them from that company would work: http://www.futurlec.com/Gas_Sensors.shtml - that Gas Socket would make for easy installation or swapping of sensors.
- Which can be directly integrated into the autopilot with NO CODE via: http://copter.ardupilot.com/wiki/common-analog-and-digital-pins-for-apm2-px4-and-pixhawk/#pixhawk_analog_input_pins_virtual_pin_firmware_mapped_pin_id
While that probably isn't of much use for your actual application, simply proving the sensor can log data while flying mapping flights may be of value?
Nitrous Oxide (N20)
CARBON DIOXIDE (CO2)
Nothing yet, I'm using a Photoacoustic Gas Analyzer which can quantify both these gasses, but that is way too heavy for a platform in the 1K range. The instrument is like 50K itself. However, there may be something to LOS GATOS Research Inc instruments. Further research.
CAMERAS:
Looking at visual range and also Near Infrared - for water saturation and NDVI (normalized differential vegetation index) analyzing)
Canon S100
Most NDVI setups involve a modified camera that has the special NIR filter over the sensor. Ideally having two cameras. Cameras that are compatible with the autopilot for mapping in the normal visible spectrum can be had for well under $100 used, and building a bracket to carry two cameras at the same time may be possible.
- Camera with NIR already modified will run about $600. Used camera and the filter, and then doing the modification DIY style for about $200 - about 45 minutes for conversion.
Here's some more links of interest:
http://publiclab.org/wiki/infragram-convertible-cameras http://diydrones.com/profiles/blogs/diy-camera-filter-swap-on-a-canon-powershot http://diydrones.com/profiles/blogs/great-post-on-agricultural-drone-mapping http://diydrones.com/group/iris/forum/topics/iris-for-mapping-custom-mount-and-camera-case-design
