Chemical Microsensor Instrument for UAV Airborne Atmospheric Measurements

UAVs will see an expanded role in support NASA science missions. Recent applications for the UAV based chemical sensing currently include the study of volcanoes to validate atmospheric models and to gain new insight into mechanisms. Near term application of the technology would be to assist NASA's work studying volcanic activity such as tracking volcano emissions. The lightweight, low cost, flight capable chemical detection instrument also has application to a wide range of non UAV related NASA applications including (1) propellant leak detection propulsion systems and ground test facilities, (2) environmental monitoring in spacecraft and aircraft, (3) portable or remotely deployed early fire detection. The addition of sensors for CO, NOx and ozone would make the system suitable for monitoring aircraft onboard oxygen generation systems (OBOGS). An aircraft's OBOGS supplies proper oxygen partial pressure to the pilot and crew by conditioning and concentrating oxygen from engine bleed air. In addition to concentrating the oxygen levels, this system effectively filters out contaminants from typical bleed air supply. Problems arise when bleed air composition is substantially out of spec with elevated levels of contaminants, such as due to exhaust ingestion or oil leaks. While there are safeguards in place to ensure proper flow and pressure of the breathing supply, there are currently no warning signs or measurements indicating the concentration of toxic contaminants.

There is a large commercial market for low cost deployable atmospheric monitoring systems. Air quality management districts could use the instrument for air quality monitoring. The ability to potentially deploy monitoring equipment on aerostats or UAV could provide means to improve air quality forecasts and to monitor for out of compliance emissions. An extension of this system could be used to monitor indoor or cabin air quality in mass transit systems or aircraft. As commercial and civil aviation transition from traditional high pressure gaseous and liquid oxygen systems to on board oxygen generation systems, there will exist additional commercial opportunities for MEI's ACMI to be adapted for monitoring such on-board systems. . Additionally, point-of-use oxygen generators are being developed for ground operations, mobile hospitals, emergency response vehicles, and mass casualty response systems. Many of these applications have no single sensor/system for verifying the quality of the oxygen that is produced. Measuring contaminants in OBOGS and other point-of-use oxygen generators has significant military and commercial application. More »