Development and Preliminary Testing of the ATEMO Multi-Purpose Sensing Platform

Abstract

In the current global context, where the issue of climate change has gained significant prominence, the ATEMO (Aerospace Technologies for Earth Monitoring and Observation) project introduces an innovative and scalable platform capable of measuring multiple environmental factors, including air pollution, light pollution, and vegetation analysis. This versatile platform can be seamlessly integrated onto various aerial vehicles, such as drones, stratospheric balloons, and tethered balloons. Its primary goal is to establish a comprehensive framework for environmental analysis on multiple fronts, while also contributing valuable data to the scientific literature. Furthermore, it offers a cost-effective alternative with enhanced spatial and temporal resolution for ground-based comparisons. During the initial year of research, ATEMO project focused on amalgamating the technological expertise of the research group into a single device. This device facilitated ground-based light source observations, multi-spectral vegetation analysis, and air quality assessments. The first test campaign, carried out during the summer of 2023, was aimed at estimating vegetation indices and comparing them over time with satellite-derived data. This article provides insights into the current configuration of ATEMO, outlines the testing procedures, and presents the preliminary findings.