Unmanned aerial vehicle system for the extraction and electrochemical detection of explosives and explosive components in soils using filter paper and electrolyte

US9857293B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force · US

Inventors

• Daniel Zabetakis · Brandywine, US
• Scott A. Trammell · Springfield, US
• Walter J. Dressick · Fort Washington, US
• David A. Stenger · Reston, US
• Jasenka Verbarg · Chesterfield, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 18, 2016
• Grant date: Jan 2, 2018
• Expiry date: Nov 18, 2036

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01N2021/3595
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

Described herein is an approach using inexpensive, disposable chemical sensor probes that can be mounted on a small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and used to analyze a site (such as one known or suspected to contain explosive residue, spilled material or contaminated soil) without the need for a person to conduct ground operations at the site. The method involves contacting a soil or a surface with a filter paper wetted with a solvent, then subjecting the filter paper to voltammetry and/or spectroscopy, thus detecting a possible variation indicative of one or more analytes, wherein the solvent is the deep eutectic solvent consisting of a mixture of ethylene glycol and choline chloride.