This international project is an intense collaboration between a Belgian (GO! atheneum Brakel) and a Norwegian (RUD Videregående Skole) school. 

Our collaboration aims at the co-creation of a self-invented drone, with a payload with the ability to measure and save data like:

• Temperature

The temperature gets measured for multiple reasons. One reason is, that it gets used for comparison to earlier and future temperatures.

• Altitude

The altitude of our drone should be measured, so we know at what height our measurements were done.

• Pressure

The pressure is important for the meteorologist to produce where important pressure systems such as low and high-pressure areas are located.

• Gasses (CO2, CO, NH3, NO2, O2)

Particulate matter is made up of these particular gasses, which need to be measured. The drone can help with measuring the amount of particulate matter there is in the air.            

• Brightness of the light

The brightness of the light is measured with a specific sensor on the drone, which is the luminance sensor. 

• GPS

This stands for Global Positioning System. We're going to use a GPS on the drone, which will locate in what area is the most amount of particular matter and how the air quality in that specific location is.

• Air quality

The air may contain different types of particulate matter. This is a dangerous kind of air pollution that should not be inhaled. That's why it is significant to be measured properly.

• Humidity

Measuring the humidity lets you know how much water vapour in the air contains at the prevailing temperature.

Goals

The main goal is to design and create a sensor to measure the general air quality, as described above. But we of course need a way to get those sensors in the air. Our Norwegian partners are building a drone which can transport our payload (the sensor module).
We also want to research if the measured gasses (like CO2) have a relation with altitude. 

Learning process

• Find out what's in the air. What is the problem with particulate matter? How does it affect our health?

• Research for sensors, how to make them work?

• Design and build the device!

• Use the device. Learn to fly a drone. Are there legal restrictions on drones?

• Process the measured data and reflect on this.

• Make recommendations to local authorities (city, school) according to the results. Are there quick wins to improve the results?

Expected outcomes

• Lesson plans and study materials on how to program microcontrollers (like Raspberry Pi Pico W) in MicroPython with sensors.

• This extensive website contains all the information and materials. Also, describes the road to the final result.

• A device measuring relevant air quality issues, like particulate matter and CO2 levels.

• A flying drone, capable of lifting the payload.

• Study on relations between measurements and altitude.

• The final version of this project must be usable for future STEM education at our schools on flying/programming drones, programming microcontrollers and general environmental education.