Smart city air quality management through leveraging drones for precision monitoring

•Field experiments are employed to conduct comprehensive air pollution mapping.•Acquisition of high-resolution pollutant maps.•Real-time detection of pollutant sources via drones.•Observation of pollutant spread dynamics in urban areas. Air pollution stands out as one of the most critical challenges impacting public health, the overall quality of life, and the pursuit of sustainable development in urban environments. Each existing air quality monitoring method carries inherent limitations alongside its advantages. This study addresses the drawbacks of both satellite-based and fixed monitoring stations by proposing a drone-based air quality monitoring solution. The entire urban area was surveyed using a multi-rotor drone equipped with sensors capable of measuring atmospheric components, resulting in the creation of high-resolution air pollution maps. The expansive urban area, exceeding the coverage capacity of a single flight, was systematically subdivided into subregions. Distinct measurements were conducted in each subregion, and a consolidated mapping was generated by combining the individual results obtained. The drone, operating autonomously, conducted precise measurements on a citywide scale, enhancing the consistency of pollutant mapping by eliminating potential errors associated with manual control. Pollution sources were identified throughout the city, and real-time data revealed how transportation-induced air pollution affected different regions. Environmental factors like wind and pressure differences were identified as influential in the varied spread of air pollutants across different parts of the city. The study underscores the pivotal role of transportation in urban air pollution, laying the groundwork for the development of targeted pollution control strategies in urban environments. Furthermore, the research validates the potential of UAVs in advancing the efficient management of smart cities, particularly through the monitoring and analysis of air pollution stemming from transportation.