Water Body Survey, Inspection, and Monitoring Using Amphibious Hybrid Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

Water quality monitoring is needed for the effective management of water resources. Periodic sampling and regular inspection/analysis allow one to classify water and identify changes or trends in water quality over time. This article presents a novel concept of an Amphibious Hybrid Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (AHUAV) that can operate in air and water for rapid water sampling, real-time water quality analysis, and water body management. A methodology using the developed AHUAV system for water body management has also been proposed for an easier and effective way of monitoring water bodies using advanced drone technologies. Using drones for water body management can be a cost-effective and efficient way of carrying out regular inspections and continual monitoring. A case study of the same was carried out on a lake to demonstrate the advantages of the proposed method and the capabilities of the AHUAV and its effectiveness and efficiency compared to traditional methods; this involves the survey of a water body through aerial imaging; identification of potentially contaminated regions using spectral sensors; in situ measurement of pH, turbidity, dissolved oxygen (DO), total dissolved solids (TDS), and electrical conductivity (EC) of water in real-time; water sample collection, and water body depth measurement. The different modules of the AHUAV have been used for surveying and inspecting the different aspects of the water body; the corresponding observations and results during the study are presented and discussed. The developed system and methodology can be an effective alternative for conventional water sampling and management methods.