Innovative drone-based methodology for quantifying methane emissions from landfills

An accurate measurement of anthropogenic methane emissions is essential for improving the representation of greenhouse gas inventories and for mitigating the effects of climate change. Often, theoretical models overestimate actual emission values, while field measurements tend to be costly and/or labour-intensive. Landfills represent an important emission sector, necessitating continued investment in innovation and technology to limit fugitive emissions, particularly of methane. This study presents a novel method based on a mass balance approach to estimate fugitive methane emissions from landfills and has been tested at a solid waste landfill in Italy. Measurements were acquired using a drone equipped with a sensor, completed in just a few minutes and processed directly in the field. Results from two tests conducted a month apart are provided, each consisting of two downwind flights at the site. Emission rates varied from 320 ± 280 mg m-2h−1 to 578 ± 385 mg m-2h−1. The data was subsequently compared with the results obtained using the flux chamber method during the second test, highlighting values that were 2 to 4 times higher than those from the ground-based method. The findings of this study highlight the potential of UAV-based methodologies for measuring methane emissions compared to traditional methods. The speed of execution and processing is indeed crucial to providing accurate data and optimising both timings and flight models during an investigation.