In Sicily, drones at work to predict volcanic eruptions
Scientists are testing the use of drones equipped with laser sensors to measure volcanic gas emissions on the Aeolian island of Vulcano. This method allows researchers to monitor volcanic activity safely from a distance without exposing equipment to corrosive gas plumes.
Why it matters
Improving volcanic monitoring technology can provide earlier warnings for eruptions, potentially saving lives in populated volcanic regions.
Scientists are using drones to collect gases from a volcano on Italy's Aeolian islands (Marco Bertorello) 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.
In this remote lunar landscape, where hot volcanic gases and steam smelling of sulphur rise eerily from the earth, the small propeller-driven device catches the eye.
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