Drone technology tested on Sicily’s Vulcano volcano to monitor gases and aid eruption forecasts

Researchers from Germany, France and Italy are piloting sensor‑equipped drones over the crater of Vulcano on the Aeolian islands off Sicily. The drones, named “Tina”, carry laser‑based gas sensors that transmit a laser beam through volcanic emissions and measure its intensity, allowing continuous, safe sampling of gases, particles and halogens.

Jonas Krajewski, a student at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, said the site provides “a very constant output of gas… so we can have very reliable sensor data”. Tjarda Roberts of the CNRS in Paris added that measuring gases helps “better understand the impact of volcanic eruptions on the atmosphere” and can “anticipate volcanic eruptions, because the gas composition can change before an eruption occurs”. The trial on Vulcano is a first step before the team moves to the more challenging conditions on Etna.

The drone system aims to make volcanic monitoring more continuous and reduce risk for scientists who would otherwise have to work in hazardous gas plumes.