Autonomous robots fly kites to monitor greenhouse gas emissions

The research team will develop new, lightweight wireless gas sensors to monitor emissions, which will be attached to helium kites flown by autonomous robots.

University spin-out company Surrey Sensors Ltd will build the sensors, while Hampshire's Allsopp Helikites Ltd will provide the helium balloons. The University also said it will work with several local businesses.

In a statement, Dr Robert Siddall, lecturer in Robotics at Surrey University, said: “If the world is to reach net zero, we need to be able to check that emissions really are reducing. Previous projects tried to use drones to monitor gas flux – but the quality of their measurements wasn't good, their flight time was too short, and airspace restrictions limited their use. Our robot balloon towers, kitted out with sensors and built here at Surrey, should solve many of these challenges.”

The project will combine a range of skills from across the University, from fluid dynamics to building robots, analysing data and sensing emissions.