Development of a drone-mounted remote radiation imaging system

The imperative need for real-time systems to monitor radioactive materials cannot be overstated, as they play a pivotal role in mitigating accidents involving radioactive materials. Additionally, with increasing safety awareness regarding radiation exposure, there is growing focus on the development of mobile unmanned systems. This study aims to develop a fully integrated drone-based radiation imaging system. The proposed system comprises a custom, compact, and lightweight gamma-ray detector module designed to be mounted as a payload on a commercial drone, a long-range data transmission module utilizing a dedicated drone network, and a software module for gamma-ray spectrum analysis and monitoring. The detector module, weighing approximately 530 g, can be integrated with the drone via a gimbal, enabling real-time data transmission through the drone network. Experimental results demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed system for real-time remote radiation monitoring, achieving an angular resolution of 7–10° and an operational range exceeding 1.2 km, with a maximum data transmission speed of up to 15,000 counts per second.