Remote radiation imaging system using a compact gamma-ray imager mounted on a multicopter drone

Abstract

A remote radiation imaging system comprising a lightweight Compton camera and a multicopter drone was developed to remotely and quickly measure radioactive contamination inside the buildings of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (FDNPS). The drone system is used for measuring detailed radiation distributions in narrow areas, which have been difficult to gauge with conventional aircraft monitoring using helicopters. A measurement of radiation distributions in outdoor environments in the coastal areas of Fukushima, Japan, was performed. The drone system with the Compton camera succeeded in remote observations of dense hotspots from the sky over a contaminated area near the FDNPS. The time required for image reconstruction is approximately 550 s in the case of a 9-m flight altitude for the hotspots with a surface dose rate of several tens of µSv/h. This drone system will be used inside the buildings of the FDNPS for remote measurement of radioactive contamination.

Radiation imaging using a compact Compton camera mounted on a crawler robot inside reactor buildings of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station

“…The specifications of our Compton camera are described in detail in Refs. [3,9]. The performance of the Compton camera used for the demonstration test is also shown in Table A1 (see Appendix).…”

“…Attempts to remotely measure radioactive substances by using Compton cameras mounted on unmanned aerial vehicles, such as unmanned helicopters or multicopter-type drones, have been reported by several researchers, including our team [2][3][4]. Radiation distribution maps of the outdoor environment of the coastal area (Hamadori region) in Fukushima prefecture have been obtained.…”

Recent activities in the field of reactor instrumentation and control human-machine system in 2017

“…For Fukushima Daiich Nuclear Power Station, a remote radiation imaging system comprising a lightweight Compton camera and a multi-copter drone, which is superior to control in narrow space than conventional helicopters, has been developed to remotely and quickly measure radioactive contamination inside the building [4].…”

Leveraging unmanned aerial vehicle technology to improve public health practice: Prospects and barriers

“…[ 5 ] Beyond the cheaper cost, UAV operations are much less complex than flying conventional helicopters for these services. [ 7 8 ] Recently, the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and the non-profit Field Innovation Team documented that UAVs can transport aid during disaster situations successfully. [ 9 ] After such promising findings, the former Director-General of the World Health Organization Dr. Margaret Chan remarked stated, “The use of drones UAVs to deliver lifesaving medical products can overcome the lack of infrastructure.…”