The Drones That Are "Smelling" Danger In The Amazon Rainforest
- 7 years ago
This drone has a nose for trouble.
Researchers successfully tested a drone that's designed to check on the health of the Amazon Rainforest by smelling it — sort of. The drone collects volatile organic compounds, unique chemical signals that different plants emit based on conditions, like drought, flood, or the season. Drones are ideal because they can fly lower than planes to collect samples and can also reach previously "unexplored spaces."
The Amazon contains 1.4 billion acres of dense forest, which is under threat from deforestation and climate change. The researchers want to understand how the Amazon is responding to these threats, so their plan is to monitor large swaths of the rainforest via drones. Their prototype still needs further development and testing before it's officially rolled out.
Researchers successfully tested a drone that's designed to check on the health of the Amazon Rainforest by smelling it — sort of. The drone collects volatile organic compounds, unique chemical signals that different plants emit based on conditions, like drought, flood, or the season. Drones are ideal because they can fly lower than planes to collect samples and can also reach previously "unexplored spaces."
The Amazon contains 1.4 billion acres of dense forest, which is under threat from deforestation and climate change. The researchers want to understand how the Amazon is responding to these threats, so their plan is to monitor large swaths of the rainforest via drones. Their prototype still needs further development and testing before it's officially rolled out.