The project’s objective is to design and construct a surveillance drone that can take aerial photos and monitor air quality in real time. The main objective is to develop a lightweight, portable, and reasonably priced aerial system that can provide accurate environmental data from various locations and heights. By combining a camera module, a microcontroller unit, and air-quality sensors to simultaneously collect atmospheric data and visual footage, the drone guarantees a comprehensive approach to environmental monitoring. The drone is made of lightweight parts to increase its stability, maneuverability, and flying time. The propulsion system is adjusted for efficient thrust generation and power consumption, and a robust power management circuit ensures consistent voltage distribution to all components. Users may accurately assess pollution levels, including particulate matter and hazardous gas concentrations, thanks to the C++-developed onboard software that allows real-time data gathering, processing, and transmission.

The development of the surveillance and air pollution monitoring drone represents a significant advancement in integrating aerial technology with environmental assessment. The system effectively combines real-time video surveillance, precise flight control, and air quality sensing into a single, cohesive platform. The Pixhawk 2.4.8 flight controller ensures stable flight, responsive maneuverability, and seamless control, while the ESP32-CAM microcontroller provides live video and sensor data transmission, enabling real-time monitoring from remote locations. Accurate detection of air pollutants—including PM2.5, PM10, CO₂, NH₃, and other harmful gases—is achieved through the combined use of the PMS5003 particulate matter sensor and the MQ- 135 gas sensor. This dual-sensor setup enhances the reliability of environmental measurements by simultaneously monitoring both particulate and gaseous pollutants. The LM2596S buck converter and 4S Li-Po battery form an optimized power distribution network, ensuring consistent and efficient energy delivery for prolonged flight operations. Overall, this project demonstrates the potential of drones for aerial surveillance, pollution mapping, and environmental data collection. It offers an affordable and scalable approach for monitoring industrial emissions and assessing urban air quality. With future integration of AI-driven pollution analysis, cloud data storage, GPS waypoint navigation, and autonomous flight capabilities, this prototype could evolve into a fully automated smart aerial monitoring system.

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