Name
Applications of a UAV-based platform for agricultural emissions measurements
Date & Time
Monday, May 8, 2023, 11:15 AM - 11:30 AM
Speakers

Description
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are well suited for collecting information at the whole-farm scale and are increasingly used in agriculture to provide valuable feedback based on the imaging they can provide. With their ability to carry a payload, UAV�s also have great potential as a platform for micrometeorological measurements to help answer questions regarding on-farm emissions. A series of test flights were made both above and downwind of a beef cattle feedlot with a UAV equipped with an air-sampling system. The sampling system was controlled by the drone pilot and allowed for the collection of 2 separate air samples from each UAV flight. Theses air samples effectively provided a flight-path averaged concentration of CO2, CH4 and N2O. With this information and collected wind data, 3 different micrometeorological approaches were employed to estimate emissions. Each technique experienced challenges in consistently generating reasonable estimates of emissions. Changing conditions during a sampling period, uncertainties in regards to wind measurements along the flight path, and the limitations of our path-averaged concentrations were all contributing factors that impacted emission estimates. It is hoped that with innovations in sensor technology and the ability to collect accurate, real-time concentration data, UAV�s will become a valuable tool for spot measurements of emissions from agricultural sources.
Location Name
Maple
Full Address
Banff Park Lodge Resort Hotel & Conference Centre
201 Lynx St
Banff AB T1L 1K5
Canada
201 Lynx St
Banff AB T1L 1K5
Canada
Abstract
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are well suited for collecting information at the whole-farm scale and are increasingly used in agriculture to provide valuable feedback based on the imaging they can provide. With their ability to carry a payload, UAV�s also have great potential as a platform for micrometeorological measurements to help answer questions regarding on-farm emissions. A series of test flights were made both above and downwind of a beef cattle feedlot with a UAV equipped with an air-sampling system. The sampling system was controlled by the drone pilot and allowed for the collection of 2 separate air samples from each UAV flight. Theses air samples effectively provided a flight-path averaged concentration of CO2, CH4 and N2O. With this information and collected wind data, 3 different micrometeorological approaches were employed to estimate emissions. Each technique experienced challenges in consistently generating reasonable estimates of emissions. Changing conditions during a sampling period, uncertainties in regards to wind measurements along the flight path, and the limitations of our path-averaged concentrations were all contributing factors that impacted emission estimates. It is hoped that with innovations in sensor technology and the ability to collect accurate, real-time concentration data, UAV�s will become a valuable tool for spot measurements of emissions from agricultural sources.
Session Type
Breakout Session