You are here

Highly sensitive, low-power, and low-weight gas analyzer for UAVs

Award Information
Agency: Department of Energy
Branch: N/A
Contract: DE-FG02-13ER90584
Agency Tracking Number: 83860
Amount: $149,943.00
Phase: Phase I
Program: SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code: 17 b
Solicitation Number: DE-FOA-0000760
Timeline
Solicitation Year: 2013
Award Year: 2013
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): 2013-02-19
Award End Date (Contract End Date): N/A
Small Business Information
1550 Pacheco St
Santa Fe, NM 87505-3914
United States
DUNS: 607619223
HUBZone Owned: Yes
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 David Bomse
 Dr.
 () -
 dbomse@mesaphotonics.com
Business Contact
 David Bomse
Title: Prof.
Phone: () -
Email: dbomse@mesaphotonics.com
Research Institution
 Stub
Abstract

Sensing of greenhouse gases including, but not limited, to carbon dioxide and methane, throughout the atmosphere are needed to verify gas fluxes and concentrations in order to understand the terrestrial carbon cycle. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) can provide the speed, range, and steering needed for rapid, measurements; but, UAVs have limited payload capacity. New gas sensors are needed that can meet the required combination of performance and UAV constraints. Mesa Photonics proposes a laser-based gas analyzer suitable for UAV deployment (5 kg and 50W). Our method retains the advantages of near- infrared diode lasers while pushing detection sensitivity 2 orders of magnitude closer to the theoretical limit. Project success means that low weight, low power near-infrared systems can compete on sensitivity with mid-infrared gas analyzers. This is important for UAV deployment because near-infrared systems that use fiber optic telecommunications components are more reliable and versatile than are mid-infrared systems based on quantum cascade (QC) lasers. Commercial Applications: The market for UAVs and payloads will likely remain small until domestic FAA restrictions are lifted. However, we have identified a significant industrial sensing market that can be addressed by the proposed technology.

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

US Flag An Official Website of the United States Government