Design of a collector for sampling volcanic ash using unmanned aerial systems

Volcanic ash is an aerial hazard to both aircraft and local populations, hence efforts monitor quantify its presence are underway in many regions, protect airspace users as a modeling tool for volcanology. One direct approach acquire in-situ samples using unmanned vehicle, but this introduces possible bias the due collector system, especially across full range of particle sizes. This work explores open impact type design miniaturized airborne quantifies influence geometry on measured size distribution. Results indicate that distribution sizes can be strongly influenced by design, owing aerodynamics trajectories. Comparisons experimental flight data illustrate simulations provide representative model, featuring bluff fore-body separates mixes flow, making it more capable capturing small particles than planar surface isolation.