Advancing atmospheric pollution monitoring with airborne THz spectrometer

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This study details the development and validation of an airborne THz spectrometer designed for real-time, remote detection of atmospheric pollutants. The platform couples a stabilized unmanned aerial system (UAS) with a high-resolution terahertz continuous-wave (THz-CW) laser source and detector, enabling flexible, in situ spectroscopic analysis of dispersed atmospheric vapours. This proof-of-concept investigation confirms the feasibility of UAS-THz-CW systems for spatially resolved environmental pollutant monitoring. The demonstrated capability of this terahertz sensor for remote, multi-component detection of atmospheric contaminants holds significant potential for advancing air pollutant monitoring technologies, providing a pathway for more effective and portable detection. This advancement can contribute to the necessary alert actions for minimizing contaminants impacting public and environmental health, thereby safeguarding human and ecosystem health. • A terahertz-on-drone detector based on CW laser technology is developed for detect environmental pollutants. • The proof-of-concept system is not affected by flight vibrations and can detect the spectral fingerprints of pure gaseous pollutants in good agreement with laboratory data and previous scientific studies. • The set-up is engineered with an aspiration system that can perform real-time detection in flight above a source of pollutants and detect a multi-component mixture of environmental atmospheric contaminants.