The analytical approach of Drone use in radiation monitoring

During the traditional way of radiation field monitoring − walking measurements – is possible to encounter inaccessible or dangerous areas. For this case, the National Institute for Nuclear, Chemical and Biological Protection (SUJCHBO) has created the method of aerial measurement of ambient dose equivalent rate (ADER) using the drone equipped with gamma-spectrometer. This paper presents two methods on estimation of near-surface gamma radiation based on aerial measurements with Drone equipped with gamma-spectrometer D230A. The D230A was first tested in a room fitted with walls with a higher amount of natural radionuclides from uranium series. The aerial measurements were done at SUJCHBO’s Heliport at three altitudes (6, 11 and 16 m) and from the obtained data, the values of ADER for the altitude of 1 m were calculated and compared with the data measured in the altitude of 1 m. From the two proposed methods, the first one serves for evaluation of the whole measured area while the second method serves for evaluation of zones of interest. In the case of the first method, the highest difference between the calculated and measured data for the altitude of 1 m was 20% and, in case of the second method, the difference of −13.3% and −8.2% was achieved.