Articles | Volume 18, issue 6
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-1441-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-1441-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
25 Mar 2025
Research article |
| 25 Mar 2025
| 25 Mar 2025
The Flying Laboratory FLab: development and application of a UAS to measure aerosol particles and trace gases in the lower troposphere
Lasse Moormann
Particle Chemistry Department, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, 55128 Mainz, Germany
now at: Multiphase Chemistry Department, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, 55128 Mainz, Germany
Thomas Böttger
Particle Chemistry Department, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, 55128 Mainz, Germany
Philipp Schuhmann
Particle Chemistry Department, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, 55128 Mainz, Germany
Luis Valero
Institute for Atmospheric Physics, Johannes Gutenberg University, 55128 Mainz, Germany
Institute of Applied Geosciences, Darmstadt University of Technology, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
Friederike Fachinger
Particle Chemistry Department, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, 55128 Mainz, Germany
now at: Multiphase Chemistry Department, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, 55128 Mainz, Germany
Frank Drewnick
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Particle Chemistry Department, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, 55128 Mainz, Germany
now at: Multiphase Chemistry Department, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, 55128 Mainz, Germany
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Nils Friedrich, Ivan Tadic, Jan Schuladen, James Brooks, Eoghan Darbyshire, Frank Drewnick, Horst Fischer, Jos Lelieveld, and John N. Crowley
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We present a new instrument for the measurement of NOx and NOy based on a combination of the thermal dissociation of NOy to NOx and cavity ring-down spectroscopic detection of NO2. It features a denuder to separate the contributions of gas-phase and particulate nitrates to NOy. We provide a detailed characterization of the instrument and briefly outline results from first deployments.
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Short summary
The drone-based Flying Laboratory FLab was developed to simultaneously measure aerosol (number concentration, size distribution, and black carbon), trace gas (O3, CO2), and meteorological variables. FLab was characterized in the field regarding limitations and biases due to different flight maneuvers. Two application cases are presented: analysis of the development of the lowermost troposphere (up to 300 m) and successfully bridging ground-based and aircraft- and radiosonde-based measurements.
The drone-based Flying Laboratory FLab was developed to simultaneously measure aerosol (number...
