A Review of the application of unmanned aerial vehicles in air pollution monitoring

At present, air pollution in China remains severe, posing significant threats to public health and imposing heavy economic and healthcare burdens. China has become the country with the highest number of newly diagnosed and fatal cases of lung cancer globally, underscoring the urgent need to address air pollution. In recent years, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology has developed rapidly, characterized by low cost and high flexibility. UAVs can serve as platforms for carrying air pollution monitoring sensors, offering advantages such as timeliness and adaptability when integrated with air quality monitoring efforts. This paper reviews practical experimental cases involving UAVs in air pollution monitoring, summarizing the various methods and target pollutants monitored using UAVs. It further analyzes the characteristics demonstrated by UAVs in these monitoring experiments. Compared with traditional air pollution monitoring methods, UAV-based monitoring exhibits advantages including lower cost, greater flexibility, and higher spatial and temporal resolution. Some studies have also explored the use of UAVs for pollution source tracing and dust suppression, demonstrating their broader potential in air pollution control. Finally, the paper offers prospects for the future development of UAV-based air pollution monitoring technologies.