Flying DEMon, a newborn startup for environmental monitoring

Abstract

Gamma-ray spectroscopy and dosimetry are complementary techniques used to locate and identify radioactive sources containing gamma-ray-emitting radioisotopes. Gamma-ray spectroscopy is extensively studied for various applications across multiple fields, including homeland security, environmental radioactivity monitoring, tackling illegal trade of radioiso-topes, and medical sciences. Introducing our newly established startup, Flying DEMon s.r.l., comprised of young researchers, academic professors, and backed by university support. Our venture aims to advance project development, leveraging the grant awarded through the E-TEC2 contest initiated by ENAC. The team will showcase their comprehensive work plan, highlighting the project’s competitiveness and self-sustaining potential. The objective of our startup is to harness cutting-edge technologies in the field of gamma spectroscopy and dosimetry, adaptable for deployment via Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS). This innovation holds significant promise for environmental monitoring, facilitating tasks such as pinpointing widespread radioactive sources or identifying concealed and hard-to-reach nuclear waste. Additionally, this advancement holds potential for applications in military, security, and industrial oversight. Our research focus primarily revolves around real-time and rapid gamma-ray analysis in open-field environments. Our group not only supports the core project objectives but also enables its applicability in diverse and non-traditional sectors, such as Agritech.