Apparatus and method for collecting environmental samples

1. An unmanned aerial vehicle detector, comprising: an unmanned aerial vehicle; a pump/detector combination on the unmanned aerial vehicle; and a tube including a rigid section at a distal end and a flexible section connected at a proximal end to the pump/detector combination, wherein the pump/detector combination is configured to draw gas samples through an inlet formed at the distal end of the tube to the detector and to detect a level of a gas drawn from within a prescribed distance above ground level, the tube including a transition from rigid to flexible sections and the transition between flexible and rigid sections of the tube configured and arranged to act as a hinge, allowing the inlet to be moved along a surface of interest for gas sampling.

2. The unmanned aerial vehicle detector of claim 1 , further comprising: a geolocation unit configured to determine the geolocation of the unmanned aerial vehicle; and a controller configured to determine the location from which a gas sample is obtained.

3. The unmanned aerial vehicle detector of claim 2 , further comprising: an imager configured to image terrain proximate the unmanned aerial vehicle, wherein the controller is configured to corelate imagery obtained from the imager to a gas sample obtained through the tube.

4. The unmanned aerial vehicle detector of claim 3 , wherein the imager is a visible light detector.

5. The unmanned aerial vehicle detector of claim 3 , wherein the imager is an infrared detector.

6. The unmanned aerial vehicle detector of claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to direct the unmanned aerial vehicle detector along a course that surveys a tract satisfying a maximal sample-separation course requirement.

7. The unmanned aerial vehicle detector of claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to redirect the unmanned aerial vehicle along a localization course, whereby the source of gas emission may be more precisely located, when the detector detects a gas of interest at a level that exceeds a threshold.

8. A gas sampling method, comprising: an unmanned aerial vehicle flying over a tract of interest; and a pump/detector combination on the unmanned aerial vehicle drawing gas samples through a tube including a rigid section at a distal end and a flexible section connected at a proximal end to the pump/detector combination, wherein the pump/detector combination is configured to draw gas samples through an inlet formed at the distal end of the tube to the detector and to detect a level of a gas drawn from within a prescribed distance above ground level, the tube including a transition between rigid and flexible sections and the transition between flexible and rigid sections acting as a hinge to allow the inlet to be moved along a surface of interest for gas sampling.

9. The gas sampling method of claim 8 , further comprising: a geolocation unit determining the geolocation of the unmanned aerial vehicle; and a controller determining the location from which a gas sample is obtained.

10. The gas sampling method of claim 9 , further comprising: an imager imaging terrain proximate the unmanned aerial vehicle, the controller correlating imagery obtained from the imager to gas samples obtained through the inlet.

11. The gas sampling method of claim 10 , wherein the imager images in visible light detector.

12. The gas sampling method of claim 10 , wherein the imager images in an infrared light.

13. The gas sampling method of claim 9 , wherein the controller directs the unmanned aerial vehicle detector along a course that surveys a tract satisfying a maximal sample-separation course requirement.

14. The gas sampling method of claim 13 , wherein the controller redirects the unmanned aerial vehicle along a localization course, whereby the source of gas emission may be more precisely located, when the detector detects a gas of interest at a level that exceeds a threshold.

15. An unmanned aerial vehicle gas detecting system, comprising:

an unmanned aerial vehicle, including: a pump/detector combination on the unmanned aerial vehicle; a tube including a rigid section at a distal end and a flexible section connected at a proximal end to the pump/detector combination, wherein the pump/detector combination is configured to draw gas samples through an inlet formed at the distal end of the tube to the detector and to detect a level of a gas drawn from within a prescribed distance above ground level, the tube including a transition between flexible and rigid sections, the transition configured to act as a hinge to allow the inlet to be moved along a surface of interest for gas sampling; a wireless communication system;

and an external controller configured to receive gas detection data transmitted from the unmanned aerial vehicle and to store the gas detection data.

16. The unmanned aerial vehicle gas detection system of claim 15 , wherein the external controller is configured to track gas detector data for a plurality of detection sessions.

17. The unmanned aerial vehicle gas detection system of claim 15 , wherein the external controller is configured to receive imaging data from the unmanned aerial vehicle.

18. The unmanned aerial vehicle gas detection system of claim 17 , wherein the external controller is configured to correlate imaging with gas detection data from the unmanned aerial vehicle.

19. The unmanned aerial vehicle gas detection system of claim 18 , wherein the external controller is configured to correlate near infrared imaging data from the unmanned aerial vehicle with gas detection data from the unmanned aerial vehicle.

20. The unmanned aerial vehicle gas detection system of claim 15 , further comprising: an unmanned aerial vehicle gas detection server.