Drone-based Fresnel lens system for remote mapping of alpha contamination

A novel optical detection system for the air luminescence of alpha sources has been developed. It mainly consists of a large-area and very lightweight PMMA Fresnel lens and two very low-noise optical detectors. This system was developed to support the management of radiological emergencies with alpha emitters. This development is the result of a cooperative effort of Departments 6.1 (Radioactivity), 6.3 (Radiation Protection Dosimetry) and 6.4 (Neutron Radiation) within the scope of the RemoteALPHA EMPIR project. The radioluminescence detection system is imbedded in a carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer frame to reduce the weight to less than 6 kg. This allows the system to be installed on board and flown with commercially available drones such as PTB’s DJI Matrice 600 Pro (see photo). The system has been characterized at PTB’s microbeam Ion Accelerator Facility (PIAF) and allows a detection limit of 540 kBq in the UV-C spectral range and 1.4 kBq in the UV-A spectral range at a distance of 2 m between the alpha source and the detector. The project partner, UPC (Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya), is currently testing the imaging functionality of the system for mapping alpha contamination in the environment at a dedicated drone airfield.

Contact

Maksym Luchkov, Department 6.3, Working Group 6.32

Tobias Weidner, Department 6.4, Working Group 6.45