Evaluation of a miniaturized electronic circuit for nuclear instrumen-tation in unmanned aerial vehicles

This study presents the design, development, and experimental validation of a compact electronic circuit for gamma radiation detection, specifically engineered for integration into UAV platforms. The system employs a 1” NaI (Tl) scintillation detector, along with customized preamplifier and amplifier stages optimized for low power consumption and reduced dimensions. Experimental tests using a sealed Cs-137 source at multiple distances (0, 1, 2, and 3 meters) demonstrated that the circuit maintains spectral integrity up to 1 meter, with performance degrading at greater distances due to air attenuation and reduced interaction statistics. Importantly, no detector saturation was observed even at zero distance. The study confirms the feasibility of the proposed electronics for drone-based radiological monitoring in short-range operations. Further improvements may include adapting portable high-voltage sources or employing alternative sensors, such as photodiode arrays, to enhance system practicality and reduce payload. These findings contribute to the advancement of miniaturized nuclear instrumentation for rapid deployment in radiological safety and emergency response scenarios.