Aerialtronics, a Netherlands-based commercial UAS manufacturer, and RAE Systems BeNeLux, a provider of gas and radiation detection systems, recently announced an integrated technology partnership that they claim will help keep professionals and the public safe from invisible toxins in the air. The two companies claim that the collaborative technology will detect gas and gamma radiation aerially to increase safety, improve mobility and streamline data analysis for professionals.
The technology that will be developed through the partnership will enable professionals, such as first responders and site managers, to assess potential HazMat risks in unstable environments by detecting and monitoring gasses, chemical threats and radiation from a safe distance using the MultiRAE Pro and MiniRAE 3000 monitors integrated into the Altura Zenith ATX8 UAS.
This collaboration is critical to improving awareness, safety and mobility for professionals in the inspection and first response industry by allowing them to assess the potential dangers of atmosphere they are working in from a safe distance. If a chemical fire breaks out, firefighters need to be aware of the potential threat of toxins being released into the air before entering a burning building so they can effectively protect themselves and civilians. Chemical engineers and site managers must also be alerted of the presence of HazMats before they are exposed to them at a construction site.
The integrated Zenith with gas and radiation monitors can collect comprehensive data from a toxic environment which is then transferred to a ground station up to 3 kilometres (1.8 miles) away for real time data analysis and processing. This is essential to keeping individuals safe because wireless alarms at the central command station will automatically ring if any toxins are present in the air. There are unique alarms for each potential threat, which allows individuals to react quickly and appropriately to different scenario’s like HazMat incidents or leak detection from a safe distance. This will lower their risk of exposure to dangerous chemicals and compounds found on site, as well as protect the public that is in the nearby vicinity.
The MultiRAE Pro and MiniRAE 3000, created by RAE Systems, are monitors that check for a variety of threats present in the air. The MultiRAE Pro can contain multiple customisable sensors for detecting gamma radiation, toxic and combustible gases, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and oxygen levels. There are a total of 25 different sensors available to monitor a range of threats with up to parts per billion precision. The MiniRAE 3000 is a highly accurate VOC monitor which uses a photoionization detector with parts per million measurement precision.
This newly integrated technology will prove to be beneficial to professionals in industries working with poisonous chemicals, gasses and radioactive materials, such as Energy and Chemicals, as well as first responders and Search & Rescue personnel.
