Flying Above Danger

Whether it is the eerie setting of an abandoned nuclear power plant, or the chaotic scenes of an active warzone, there are areas in the world considered too dangerous to travel in without assistance. Instead, we often rely on a range of robust technologies that are able to enter these hazardous environments and obtain accurate data without putting lives at risk.

The emergence of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), or drones, in recent years has created a cost-effective means of sending various analytical tools into dangerous areas.

Lidar-equipped UAV systems are now being used by researchers in Bristol to produce 3D radiation maps of radioactive sites in Japan, while researchers at the Swedish Defence Research Agency (FOI) are using similar systems alongside their national armed forces to identify enemy troops and penetrate thick vegetation in warzones.