US 11,940,817 B2
Apparatuses, systems, and methods for gas flux measurements with mobile platforms
Aaron Thomas Kreitinger, Bozeman, MT (US); Michael James Thorpe, Bozeman, MT (US); and Peter Aaron Roos, Bozeman, MT (US)
Assigned to Bridger Photonics, Inc., Bozeman, MT (US)
Appl. No. 17/419,708
Filed by Bridger Photonics, Inc., Bozeman, MT (US)
PCT Filed Jan. 15, 2020, PCT No. PCT/US2020/013737
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jun. 29, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/150388, PCT Pub. Date Jul. 23, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/792,767, filed on Jan. 15, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0082495 A1, Mar. 17, 2022
Int. Cl. G05D 1/10 (2006.01); B64C 39/02 (2023.01); G01N 33/00 (2006.01); G01P 5/02 (2006.01); G01S 19/43 (2010.01); G05D 1/00 (2006.01); B64U 10/13 (2023.01); B64U 101/00 (2023.01); G01N 21/31 (2006.01)
CPC G05D 1/104 (2013.01) [B64C 39/024 (2013.01); G01N 33/0027 (2013.01); G01P 5/02 (2013.01); G01S 19/43 (2013.01); B64U 10/13 (2023.01); B64U 2101/00 (2023.01); G01N 21/31 (2013.01)] 23 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system comprising:
a first drone configured to follow a first motion path along a generally vertical direction;
a second drone configured to follow a second motion path along a generally vertical direction;
a laser configured to produce a transmitted laser beam directed from the first drone toward the second drone, wherein the transmitted laser beam is used to perform a first gas measurement along a first measurement path at a first height above the ground and a second gas measurement along a second gas measurement path at a second height above the ground;
a receiver configured to receive at least a portion of the transmitted laser beam that is used to perform the gas measurement, wherein the receiver is on the first drone or the second drone;
a wind measurement device configured to produce wind data associated with the first height, the second height or combinations thereof; and
a processor configured to calculate a total gas flux through a flux surface based at least in part on the first gas measurement, the second gas measurement, and the wind data, wherein the flux surface is based on the first motion path and the second motion path.