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UAV- and spectrometer-based dosimetry system has been developed

20.12.2019

Figure: Close-up of the detector system on a DJI Matrice 600 Pro drone.

Within the scope of the EMPIR project 16ENV04 entitled "Preparedness", PTB is developing a spectrometer–based dosimetry system which can be operated while attached to an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The monitoring system aims at minimizing the exposure of relief units to ionizing radiation in the case of a nuclear or radiological incident, as the UAV is not only able to cover a large area faster than ground forces, but also makes it possible for operators to stay away from a contaminated region. The dosimetric system consists of a CeBr3 scintillation detector that records spectra as well as temperature and flight telemetry every two seconds and transmits these data to a ground station where spectra are converted to dose. The system has proven to be an excellent choice for aerial and ground surveys.

The system has been tested in both aerial and ground surveys: Air training to locate a point–like source of Cs–137, and ground testing with an uncollimated free–field irradiation facility to determine system performance in the controlled environment. The results of the ground campaign showed a good agreement of the measured equivalent dose rates with the reference values of 60 to 400 nSv/h at standard deviations in the order of 10 % to 30 %. The results of the air campaign demonstrated the system's ability to detect and locate a point–like source, and they provided the necessary data to develop the reconstruction algorithm for estimating surface activity concentrations.

Contact

Head of Press and Information Office

Dr. Dr. Jens Simon

Phone: +49 531 592-3005
Email:
jens.simon(at)ptb.de

Address

Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt
Bundesallee 100
38116 Braunschweig