Contribution

Can Drones Serve as Platforms for Noise Measurements?

Authors

* Presenting author
Day / Time: 18.03.2025, 15:20-16:00
Room: Hall E, Poster Island D
Typ: Poster
Session: UAM/UAS Noise Emission and Perception (Poster Island D)
Information: The posters will be exhibited in Hall E north from Tuesday to Thursday, sorted by thematic context in the poster island indicated in the session title. The poster session at the specified time offers the opportunity to enter into discussion with the authors.
Abstract: We demonstrate the potential for accurate low-frequency acoustic measurements using a microphone mounted on a drone. A commercial octocopter drone was initially tested in laboratory settings and subsequently modified to carry a microphone. Results indicate that a drone’s self-noise is minimal in the low-frequency range below approximately 100 Hz, enabling drones to serve effectively as carriers for low-frequency sound measurement equipment. The ideal placement for the equipment is within the rotor plane, where disturbances from self-noise and rotor flow are minimized. A test flight around an artificial low-frequency source showed good measurement accuracy when compared with ground-based measurements. We foresee that drone-based sound measurements will be applicable for assessing sound power and directivity of large outdoor emitters, such as wind turbines and biogas power plants.