Objective:

Volcanic eruptions are a serious threat to the environment. In order to assess more accurately the state of a volcanic zone, spatially distributed measurements are required.

Methodology:

An electronic nose (eNose), a quad-copter drone with gas, temperature, and humidity sensors was developed. The drone was assembled with 3D printed parts and tested for properties like structural rigidity. The eNose samples gases, manages a sensor array, acquires data, extracts features, and classifies them with suitable classification algorithms.

Results:

The eNose drone system provides a versatile technology for autonomous monitoring of diverse environments. A logarithmic calibration curve was observed for the CO sensor.

Conclusions:

The implementation of a eNose drone system and its application to the detection and study of gases in volcanic areas would be innovative in Argentina. The system can access remote dangerous areas and is versatile. Different gas sensors like H2S or SO2 can be added.

Financing:

Project PID MSUTIBA0004713TC Universidad Tecnológica Nacional. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica. Buenos Aires, Argentina