Advancing UAS-Based Monitoring of Stack Emission of Air Pollutants

The Cyprus Institute recently developed, tested, validated, and deployed a dual multi-sensor uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) platform for high-resolution (1-second), in-situ monitoring of the chemical composition of stack emissions. The first UAS consists of a custom-built multicopter equipped with a commercial optical particle counter POPS (Handix Scientific Inc.) and a micro-aethalometer (AethLabs). These instruments allow for three-dimensional measurements of particulate matter (PM2.5) and black carbon (BC), two key air quality parameters regulated across the European Union. The second UAS integrates on a custom-calibrated SO₂–CO₂ sensor suite to quantify the sulfur content of ship emissions (in compliance with the EU directive (EU) 2016/802).

Together, these UAS platforms enable precise and flexible four-dimensional profiling of aerosols and trace gases within dynamic pollution plumes, in complex and regulated environments. The platforms show great potential for monitoring air quality in urban areas, coastal shipping corridors, and industrial zones, providing high-resolution data on primary emissions and their rapid atmospheric processing within the dispersion of the plume. Results from these novel UAS systems from recent field campaigns, part of the Edu4ClimAte Horizon Europe program, are presented here. Additional results from future campaigns will be made available.