Fraunhofer Institute for Communication, Information Processing and Ergonomics FKIE
Fraunhofer Institute for Communication, Information Processing and Ergonomics FKIE

© Fraunhofer FKIE

Fast, Precise Location of Radioactive Materials

Radioactivity is an invisible risk that can cause potentially serious long-term harm to people’s health and the environment. Since radiation comes from invisible sources  and cannot be directly perceived by humans, technical systems are needed to detect its presence and intensity. Especially in case of an accident or attack involving radioactive materials, fast and precise analysis of the situation is crucial. Hotspots and radiation sources need to be identified and located immediately in order to ensure the safety of the populace and the environment and take appropriate protective action. Drones are especially helpful in this context, as they can be used to survey large areas quickly, regardless of the terrain. These technical systems are essential because in addition to detecting the radiation that is present, they also help to minimize its spread and potential impacts on people and the natural world.

Highly automated UAVs to investigate radiation sources

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© Fraunhofer FKIE/Fahmi Rouatbi
A DJI M600 with its payload, consisting of a gamma ray detector, an Intel NUC computer and additional sensors

Uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) are increasingly important for reconnaissance missions in different areas. Their ability to operate regardless of the ground conditions makes them especially valuable in environments marked by building rubble and other forms of rugged terrain. They are also able to survey large areas quickly.

Advances in technology mean that sensors and computer hardware are increasingly being miniaturized, which makes them easier to incorporate into UAVs. These developments make it possible to install different kinds of sensors in a single drone. Fusing these orthogonal sensors together bolsters a UAV’s ability to collect detailed and comprehensive data. This multi-sensor approach supports the reconnaissance work to a significant degree and adds considerable value by unlocking greater precision in analyzing and interpreting the information collected.

The Integrated Sensor Systems research group within the Sensor Data & Information Fusion (SDF) department at Fraunhofer FKIE is working on a UAV for highly automated reconnaissance involving sources of radiation. An initial technology demonstrator has already been set up and tested with success.

A sensor payload comprising a gamma ray detector and additional sensors was developed to perform reconnaissance involving radiation sources. The reconnaissance process is carried out automatically. It consists of an exploration phase and a search phase. During the exploration phase, the UAV does a preliminary fly-over of the target area, with the system continuously collecting data about the environment.

 

Then, at a certain time, it switches to a targeted search mode. In this mode, the trajectory adjusts dynamically to the knowledge that has been accumulated so far about the environment and to current sensor information. Stochastic methods that estimate the likelihood of the source being in different positions are used for this.

The UAV used for reconnaissance of radioactive materials has been evaluated in field testing and is able to locate a radiation source down to an area of just a few meters within a few minutes.

The SDF department is currently researching the extent to which the reconnaissance time can be further shortened with additional sensors and what information can be provided in the process. For example, information about the surrounding area, access and the nature of the routes to the potential source is essential to the operator in order to eliminate the radiation source quickly.