Development of a UAV-assisted autonomous water sampling device

Monitoring and predicting changes in water quality characteristics requires timely collection of water samples. Water sampling poses various challenges, including limited staff, difficulty in reaching water bodies such as lakes and wide rivers, and time limitations, particularly following natural calamities and emergencies. To address these challenges, a unique unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-assisted water sampling apparatus equipped with multiple containers to achieve autonomous multi-point water sampling at per flight was developed. By integrating a UAV with multi-container sampling devices, a single flight of the UAV can collect up to five samples with a maximum volume of 500 mL/sample. The system was assessed through many field experiments. The consistency and effectiveness of the sampling device were verified by comparing water samples from local lakes collected with those obtained through traditional collection techniques. The developed system has a greater level of speed and safety compared with manual water sampling from large surface waters such as lakes and hard-to-reach water bodies.