UAS and a virtual environment as possible response tools 1 to the incidents 2 involving uncontrolled release of dangerous gases – a case study

Abstract

Various types of events and emergency situations have a significant impact on the safety of people and the environment. This especially refers to the incidents involving the emission of pollutants, such as ammonia, into the atmosphere. The article presents the concept of combining unmanned aerial vehicles with contamination plume modelling. Such a solution allows for mapping negative effects of ammonia release caused by the damage to a tank (with set parameters) during its transport as well as by the point leakage (such as unsealing in the installation). Simulation based on the ALOHA model makes it possible to indicate the direction of pollution spread and constitutes the basis for taking action. And, the use of a drone allows to control contamination in real time and verify the probability of a threat occurring in a given area.