USGS scientists operate drones with particulate and gas samplers over a prescribed burn in Kansas.

Joe Adams (USGS National Uncrewed Systems Office) pilots and Keith Grabner (USGS Columbia Environmental Research Center) acts as visual observer as a drone equipped with EPA particulate and gas samplers (right) hovers in the plume of a spring prescribed burn at the Konza Prairie Biological Station, Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, Kansas. At left, a second drone equipped with USGS particulate samplers is flown by Tim McKinney (USGS Utah Water Science Center). The USGS Disaster Science CTT and EPA and other project collaborators use prescribed burns to develop and test methods to safely sample airborne particulates during fires and other disasters. Data collected using these methods will improve our understanding of how such particulates affect downwind human and ecosystem health.

Photo credit: Matthew Struckhoff USGS