Drones to predict volcanic eruptions
Researchers are testing drone-mounted sensors to measure volcanic gases on the island of Vulcano, Italy. This technology aims to provide safer and more accurate data to help predict volcanic eruptions.
Why it matters
Advancements in remote sensing technology significantly improve disaster preparedness and safety for populations living near active volcanic sites.
AFP, Vulcano Porto Hovering over the volcano, a buzzing drone pauses in front of a laser beam on the crater’s edge, as researchers test whether the devices can measure gases to predict eruptions.
On the Aeolian island of Vulcano, off the coast of Sicily, German researcher Marius Schaab, from the Technical University of Munich (TUM), stands next to a gas sensor mounted on a tripod, waiting for the drone his colleague has just launched to draw closer.
The last eruption of the island’s Grand Crater occurred in the late 19th century but the volcano continues to show intense degassing activity.
Soon, the drone positions itself along the axis of the sensor, which transmits an invisible laser beam that passes through the volcanic gas emissions before being reflected by the drone, and travelling back.
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