Fri, March 25, 2016
As part of a project to improve safety in the energy pipeline industry, researchers have successfully flight tested a miniature methane gas sensor developed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California on a Vertical Take-off and Landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial system (UAS). The tests were funded by Pipeline Research Council International (PRCI).
The JPL-developed sensor, similar to one developed by NASA for use on Mars, enables detection of methane sources at much lower quantities than previously available for the industry. The jointly conducted test of NASA’s Open Path Laser Spectrometer (OPLS) sensor is the latest test in a methane testing and demonstration program conducted on various platforms since 2014. The ability of the OPLS sensor to detect methane in parts per billion by volume, as opposed to commercially available sensors whose sensitivity is limited to parts-per-million, could help more accurately pinpoint small methane leaks.
The UC Merced Mechatronics, Embedded Systems and Automation (MESA) Lab and JPL researchers conducted the flight tests in late February at the Merced Vernal Pools and Grassland Reserve. During testing, researchers flew a small UAS equipped with the OPLS sensor at various distances from methane-emitting gas sources in a controlled setting to test the accuracy and robustness of the system.
The advanced capabilities provided by small UASs, especially enhanced vertical access, could extend the use of methane-inspection systems for detecting and locating methane gas sources.
Additional flight testing this year will feature a fixed-wing UAS, which can fly for longer durations and across longer distances. This is a capability necessary for monitoring natural gas transmission pipeline systems, which are often hundreds of miles long and can be located in rural or remote areas.
This latest round of tests furthers the team’s goal to develop small UASs to improve traditional inspection methods for natural gas pipeline networks, which may provide enhanced safety and location accuracy benefits.