Drone-based high-resolution air pollution monitoring: a comprehensive system and field evaluation

This paper presents a novel air pollution monitoring system designed for drone deployment, featuring a specialized payload comprising sensor suites and processing components. The upper half of the payload accommodates MQ series sensors and an SDS011 particulate matter (PM) sensor, strategically positioned to provide comprehensive coverage of various air pollutants. Processing boards, including an Arduino and ESP8266 node micro controller unit (NodeMCU), facilitate data collection, transmission, and connectivity to a designated cloud platform for real-time monitoring and analysis. Additionally, the payload incorporates air pumps for pollution mitigation and relay modules for remote control. Field tests conducted in suburban and industrial areas evaluated the system's efficacy in capturing subtle air quality variations and responding to pollution spikes. Analysis of ground-level and airborne data provided insights into sensor performance and system adaptability across diverse environments. Overall, the proposed system demonstrates promising potential as a comprehensive solution for high-resolution air pollution monitoring, with implications for enhancing public health interventions and environmental management strategies.