UAV-Deployable Open-Source Sensor Nodes for Spatial and Temporal In Situ Water Quality Monitoring and Mapping

Cost efficient, spatially resolved water quality monitoring is essential for managing pollution and protecting aquatic ecosystems. This study presents a low-cost (approximately USD 200), open-source, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-deployable in situ sensor node for real-time assessment of surface-water conditions. The system integrates sensors for pH, turbidity, temperature, and total dissolved solids (TDSs), with onboard data logging and real-time clock (RTC) synchronization. Bench validation of the sensor package yielded mean absolute percentage errors of 1.34% for pH, 5.23% for TDS, and 0.81% for temperature, and the device operated continuously for 42 h. Field deployment demonstrated its ability to resolve spatial gradients, with observed ranges in the tested water body of pH 6.0–6.7, turbidity 11–18 NTU, TDS 44–51 ppm, and temperature 22.8–24.6 °C. Ordinary Kriging was used to interpolate measurements and generate continuous spatial maps. The open-source, UAV-deployable design provides an accessible platform for community-scale and research-oriented water quality mapping.