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US 12,540,891 B1Granted
Method and apparatus for measuring extinction using an unmanned aerial vehicle
AssigneeBlueHalo, LLC
InventorsAlexis Henry Clark, Steven Fiorino, Kevin Keefer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus used to determine atmospheric extinction coefficients in conjunction with an unmanned aerial vehicle are provided. The unmanned aerial vehicle may include a central body, at least one motor operatively connected to the central body, a condensation particle detection payload, and a data acquisition board including memory operatively connected to the data acquisition board, and a processor configured to generate extinction information.
Claims17
An unmanned aerial vehicle comprising:
- a) a central body comprising a first enclosure housing:
- i. a flight controller configured to direct movement of the unmanned aerial vehicle;
- ii. a navigation system configured to generate three-dimensional position information of the unmanned aerial vehicle in three-dimensional space;
- and
- iii. a payload mounting interface;
- b) at least one motor operatively connected to the central body with at least one respective propeller, wherein each motor is operatively connected to the flight controller;
- c) a condensation particle detection payload mounted to the central body via the payload mounting interface, wherein the condensation particle detection payload is configured to generate first particle count information and first particle size information each including information regarding particles of sizes less than 10 microns;
- and
- d) a data acquisition board operatively connected to the condensation particle detection payload configured to obtain the first particle count information and to determine first extinction information at one or more locations in three-dimensional space based on the first particle count information, by the steps of:
- i. obtaining the first particle count information from the condensation particle detection payload;
- and
- ii. determining first extinction information based on the first particle count information, wherein the first extinction information is determined by the formula:
- β
- e
- ,
- s
- ,
- a
- (
- λ
- )
- =
- ∫
- r
- 1
- r
- 2
- Q
- e
- ,
- s
- ,
- a
- (
- n
- ,
- λ
- ,
- r
- )
-
- π
-
- r
- 2
-
- d
-
- N
-
- (
- r
- )
- r
-
- ln
-
- 10
-
- d
-
- (
- log
-
- r
- )
-
- dt
- ≈
- ∑
- i
- =
- r
- min
- r
- max
- Q
- e
- ,
- s
- ,
- a
- (
- n
- ,
- λ
- ,
- r
- i
- )
-
- π
-
- r
- i
- 2
-
- d
-
- N
- i
- r
- i
-
- ln
-
- 10
-
- d
-
- (
- log
-
- r
- i
- )
-
- Δ
-
- r
- i
- ,
- where βe,s,a(λ) are first wavelength-specific normalized extinction, scattering, and absorption coefficients, Qe,s,a(n, λ, ri) are aerosol-constituent specific extinction, scattering, and absorption efficiency, and r is a modal radius associated with the first particle size information.
120 more elements
An unmanned aerial vehicle comprising:
- a) a central body comprising a first enclosure housing:
- i. a flight controller configured to direct movement of the unmanned aerial vehicle;
- ii. a navigation system configured to generate three-dimensional position information of the unmanned aerial vehicle in three-dimensional space;
- and
- iii. a payload mounting interface;
- b) at least one motor operatively connected to the central body with at least one respective propeller, wherein each motor is operatively connected to the flight controller;
- c) a condensation particle detection payload mounted to the central body via the payload mounting interface, wherein the condensation particle detection payload is configured to generate first particle count information and first particle size information each including information regarding particles of sizes less than 10 microns;
- and
- d) a data acquisition board operatively connected to the condensation particle detection payload configured to obtain the first particle count information and to determine first extinction information at one or more locations in three-dimensional space based on the first particle count information, by the steps of:
- i. obtaining the first particle count information from the condensation particle detection payload;
- and
- ii. determining first extinction information based on the first particle count information, wherein the data acquisition board is further configured to determine first transmission information over a first distance based on the first extinction information,
- wherein determining first transmission information comprises the steps of:
- i. generating first optical depth information by the formula:
- τ
-
- (
- z
- 1
- ,
- z
- 2
- )
- =
- ∫
- z
- 1
- z
- 2
- β
-
- (
- z
- )
-
- dz
- .
- where τ is first optical depth information, β(z) is a layer volume extinction coefficient, and z is a geometric height;
- and
- ii. generating the first transmission information by the formula:
- t
-
- (
- τ
- )
- =
- e
- -
- τ
- /
- |
- cos
-
- θ
- |
- ,
- where t is the first transmission information, τ is the first optical depth information, and θ is a source angle of incidence upon a parallel plane.
54 more elements
A method for measuring extinction using an unmanned aerial vehicle comprising:
- a. generating, by a condensation particle detection payload operatively connected to a data acquisition board, both of which are mounted on the unmanned aerial vehicle, first particle count information associated with a first volumetric particle density at the condensation particle detection payload;
- b. generating, by a first humidity sensor mounted on the unmanned aerial vehicle and operatively connected to the data acquisition board, first relative humidity information associated with a first relative humidity;
- c. transmitting, from the condensation particle detection payload to the data acquisition board, the first particle count information;
- d. transmitting, from the first humidity sensor to the data acquisition board, the first relative humidity information;
- e. storing, in memory operatively connected to the data acquisition board, the first particle count information and the first relative humidity information;
- f. determining, by the data acquisition board, first particle size information based on the first relative humidity information, wherein the first particle size information is determined by the formula:
- log
-
- r
-
- (
- a
- w
- )
- =
- ±
- [
- -
- ln
-
- (
- N
-
- D
-
- 2
-
- π
-
- log
-
- σ
- )
-
- 2
-
- (
- log
-
- σ
- )
- 2
- ]
- 1
- /
- 2
- +
- log
-
- r
- M
- ,
- where r(aw) is a first humidity-altered radius value, ND is a normalized radius-specific particle number density per unit volume value, σ is a first standard deviation, and rM is a modal radius value for the first relative humidity information;
- g. generating, by the data acquisition board, first extinction information based on the first particle count information and the first particle size information;
- and
- h. transmitting, by the data acquisition board to an optical system, the first extinction information.
53 more elements
A method for measuring extinction using an unmanned aerial vehicle comprising:
- a. generating, by a condensation particle detection payload operatively connected to a data acquisition board, both of which are mounted on the unmanned aerial vehicle, first particle count information associated with a first volumetric particle density at the condensation particle detection payload;
- b. generating, by a first humidity sensor mounted on the unmanned aerial vehicle and operatively connected to the data acquisition board, first relative humidity information associated with a first relative humidity;
- c. transmitting, from the condensation particle detection payload to the data acquisition board, the first particle count information;
- d. transmitting, from the first humidity sensor to the data acquisition board, the first relative humidity information;
- e. storing, in memory operatively connected to the data acquisition board, the first particle count information and the first relative humidity information;
- f. determining, by the data acquisition board, first particle size information based on the first relative humidity information;
- g. generating, by the data acquisition board, first extinction information based on the first particle count information and the first particle size information, wherein the first extinction information is determined by the formula:
- β
- e
- ,
- s
- ,
- a
- (
- λ
- )
- =
- ∫
- r
- 1
- r
- 2
- Q
- e
- ,
- s
- ,
- a
- (
- n
- ,
- λ
- ,
- r
- )
-
- π
-
- r
- 2
-
- d
-
- N
-
- (
- r
- )
- r
-
- ln
-
- 10
-
- d
-
- (
- log
-
- r
- )
-
- dt
- ≈
- ∑
- i
- =
- r
- min
- r
- max
- Q
- e
- ,
- s
- ,
- a
- (
- n
- ,
- λ
- ,
- r
- i
- )
-
- π
-
- r
- i
- 2
-
- d
-
- N
- i
- r
- i
-
- ln
-
- 10
-
- d
-
- (
- log
-
- r
- i
- )
-
- Δ
-
- r
- i
- ,
- where βe,s,a(λ) are first wavelength-specific normalized extinction, scattering, and absorption coefficients, Qe,s,a(n, λ, ri) are aerosol-constituent specific extinction, scattering, and absorption efficiency, and r is a modal radius associated with the first particle size information;
- and
- h. transmitting, by the data acquisition board to an optical system, the first extinction information.
117 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.