POC → Prototype → Field Deployment

Aerial Chemical
Threat Detection
System

Drone-based stand-off detection of airborne hazardous chemical agents — delivering real-time hazard intelligence before personnel enter the danger zone.

Explore System

< 5s

Sensor response

10 km+

Telemetry range

AES-256

Encrypted link

15–18W

Estimated delivery

Project Overview

What The System Solves

⚡

Stand-Off Detection

Remote sensing of hazardous airborne chemicals without requiring direct human entry into the contamination zone.

📡

Real-Time Telemetry

Simultaneous sensor data and live video over AES-256 encrypted 10 km+ link to ground command station.

🗺️

Visual Hazard Intelligence

Operator-facing heat maps, concentration overlays, and plume drift indicators for immediate situational awareness.

Current Detection Gaps

×Delay in hazard identification — slow ground-based units

×High personnel risk requiring full PPE

×No aerial mapping of contamination spread

×Incomplete command situational awareness

AXL ACTDS Solution

✓Airborne rapid-response in under 5 minutes

✓Zero personnel exposure — full stand-off operations

✓Live aerial heat map of contamination zone

✓Instant automated alerting to command

Sensor Suite

Chemical Detection Capabilities

💧

Multi-Gas PID Sensors

Photoionization detection for VOCs and TICs with sub-5-second response and ppb-level sensitivity.

VOC DetectionTIC DetectionFast Response

⚗️

Electrochemical Sensors

High-selectivity specific gas targeting with lower power consumption and higher discrimination against false positives.

Specific Target High Selectivity

Industrial Threat Gases

Chlorine (Cl₂)

Ammonia (NH₃)

Hydrogen Sulfide

Sulfur Dioxide

Carbon Monoxide

Defence Threat Agents

Nerve Agents

Blister Agents

Blood Agents

Active Air Sampling

Mini diaphragm pump with controlled flow chamber routes ambient air through the sensor array, reducing lag and stabilising readings at altitude.

Development Roadmap

Six-Phase Build Plan

PHASE 01

Platform Design & Integration

Airframe selection, payload compatibility, power architecture and EMI impact assessment.

2 Weeks

PHASE 02

Sensor System Integration

PID and electrochemical sensor mounting assembly, calibration system and sensor chamber design.

3 Weeks

PHASE 03

Air Sampling System

Active air intake, controlled flow chamber development and response time optimisation.

2 Weeks

PHASE 04

Telemetry & Communication

Long-range encrypted RF integration, AES-256 layer, sensor + video combined data packet structure.

2 Weeks

PHASE 05

Visualisation Engine

OSD engine, chemical data overlay, hazard heat mapping, and FPV merged interface.

4 Weeks

PHASE 06

Alarm & Alerting System

Threshold-triggered automated warnings with visual, audio, and geo-tagged event logging.

2 Weeks

Project Timeline — 15–18 Weeks Total

Platform Design

Sensor Integration

Sampling System

Telemetry

Visualisation Engine

Alert System

Testing & Validation

Technical Specifications

System Parameters

Flight Platform

Parameter	Specification
Payload Capacity	1–3 kg minimum
Flight Time	20–35 minutes
Wind Resistance	Moderate stability
Protection Rating	IP-rated (optional)

Sensor Suite

Parameter	Specification
Detection Type	PID / Electrochemical
Response Time	< 5 seconds target
Detection Range	ppm to ppb level
Accuracy	High sensitivity cal.

Data Link

Parameter	Specification
Range	10 km+
Encryption	AES-256 preferred
Bandwidth	Sensor + Video combined
Latency	Low latency optimised

System Architecture

Layer	Components
Airborne	FC, Sensors, Pump, RF, FPV, GPS
Ground	GCS, Receiver, Dashboard
Software	OSD, Heatmap, Alert Engine
Hardening	EMI shield, Vibration damp.

Operational Deployment

Mission Use Cases

🚒

Emergency Response

Hazmat aerial assessment before personnel entry — enabling safe perimeter decisions and evacuation zone delineation.

🏭

Industrial Safety

Continuous aerial leak detection across large industrial facilities where ground coverage is impractical.

🪖

Military & Defence

Battlefield contamination reconnaissance and NBC zone mapping for pre-entry threat assessment.

⛑️

Disaster Management

Post-incident toxic material assessment and exposure zone delineation for rescue coordination.

🔥

Fire Services

Toxic smoke analysis guiding firefighter approach vectors and real-time evacuation boundary updates.

🛰️

Future: Swarm Operations

Multi-drone deployment for wide-area simultaneous coverage with cloud command integration.

Success Criteria

POC Acceptance Thresholds

✓

Accurate In-Flight Chemical Detection

Sensor readings validated during live controlled gas-release flight tests against known concentrations.

✓

10 km Telemetry Stability

Real-time data link maintaining integrity across full operational range with no packet loss exceeding threshold.

✓

Hazard Mapping Accuracy

Visual heat map accurately tracks plume spread direction with geo-tagged concentration overlays matching sensor data.

✓

Alarm Threshold Responsiveness

Automated alerts triggered within defined response time on threshold breach — zero false-negative events.

✓

Zero Personnel Exposure

Complete stand-off operation demonstrated — no personnel enter the hazard zone during any phase.

Mission Briefing

Op ZoneIndustrial Sector 7

DetectionVOC / TIC / CBRN

FormationMESH PATROL

EncryptionAES-256

Flight Time00:00

Link Range10+ km

Active Plume Zones

ZONE ALPHA — CHIMNEY 2 CRITICAL

ZONE BETA — SPILL PT 4 HIGH

ZONE GAMMA — RAIL SIDING WARN

Drone PPM Matrix

D-01 LEAD

--SAFE

D-02 SENS

--SAFE

D-03 FLWR

--SAFE

D-04 PERI

--SAFE

Gas Concentrations — Fleet Peak

Chlorine Cl₂

0.0 ppm

Ammonia NH₃

0.0 ppm

H₂S

0.0 ppm

SO₂

0.0 ppm

VOC (PID)

0.0 ppb

Scan Formation

⬡ Mesh Patrol

◎ Plume Orbit

◻ Perimeter

✦ Swarm Dense

Environment

Wind12 km/h NW

Temp28°C

Humidity61%

VisibilityGood — 8 km

Pressure1012 hPa

Radar Overview

Ground Control Station

GCS Position

30.6942°N / 76.8511°E

Signal

STRONG

Latency

11ms

Uptime

00:00

DRONE-01 [LEADER]

PID Sensor · TIC-1 Array

SAFE

PPM

0.0

Alt

82m

Spd

4.2m/s

DRONE-02 [SENSOR]

Electrochemical · 4 Sensors

SAFE

PPM

0.0

Alt

68m

Spd

3.8m/s

DRONE-03 [FOLLOWER]

PID · Plume Track

SAFE

PPM

0.0

Alt

78m

Spd

4.0m/s

DRONE-04 [PERIMETER]

Electrochemical · Wide Scan

SAFE

PPM

0.0

Alt

92m

Spd

5.1m/s

Alert Log

LIVE FEED

D-01 LEADER: PID active · TIC-1 array nominal · Mesh link STRONG

ZONE ALPHA: Chimney 2 plume overlap — Cl₂ trace · Auto geo-tag active

D-02 SENSOR: Electrochemical array · 4 sensors · Plume overlap tracking

ALERT: D-02 entering Zone Alpha boundary · PPM rising · Escalation watch

D-03 FOLLOWER: Plume track mode · Position offset +60s from D-01

D-04 PERIMETER: Rail siding sector · Zone Gamma monitoring · SAFE baseline

GCS: Wind shift NW detected · Plume drift projection updated

SYSTEM: AES-256 link integrity 100% · Latency 11ms · All sensors nominal