Aerial Nuclear Materials Detection and Sampling

Helicopter over Urban Terrain
  • Advisor: Dr. Kevin Kochersberger
  • Graduate Students: Jimmy May, Jerry Towler, Jason Gassaway, Shajan Thomas, Mike Couch, Kevin Stefanik, Brian McCabe, Eric Gustafson
  • Graduate Student Alumni: Prather Lanier, Michael Rose, Eric Brewer, Nathan Short, Dan Hager
  • Sponsors: SRNL, DTRA
  • Purpose: To develop the technologies necessary for sampling nuclear materials using airborne autonomous platforms
  • Description: This multi-year project is intended to develop and apply the technologies used for sampling after a release of radiation caused by nuclear materials. The focus of this work is on the use of autonomous aerial platforms to accomplish the mission, primarily with helicopters in the 10 kg – 100 kg class.