Instruments

Lightweight laser scanning systems on UAV are becoming crucial for agriculture and forestry but require suitable calibration to ensure accuracy. Existing in situ calibration techniques rely on man-made features that may be lacking in field environments and require special manoeuvres. This study proposes a static calibration technique to estimate boresight misalignment angles between the IMU and the laser unit in a controlled setting. The approach can use two distinct control entities: points and planes. The process involves: (1) assembly of a calibration field; (2) levelling the system on a static platform; (3) data acquisition and raw data retrieval; and (4) determination of boresight angles via Least Squares Adjustment (LSA). The mathematical model was modified to integrate points and planes directly from raw sensor data, minimising errors from positioning systems and time synchronisation. The method was evaluated using an Ibeo LUX scanner. After applying the estimated boresight angles, the regenerated point cloud was validated by measuring distances between points and corresponding ground planes. The results yielded a standard deviation of approximately 2.5 cm. The proposed technique achieved suitable accuracy, with errors falling below the sensor’s nominal measurement uncertainty. This suggests the method is a promising pre-flight calibration solution, though further precision gains would require higher-end laser units.

Sediment-associated contaminants pose persistent environmental risks, yet conventional sediment assessment workflows often require laboratory infrastructure and extensive sample preparation, limiting their suitability for rapid field monitoring. This study presents the development of a field-deployable instrument and a novel cuvette-based detection method for rapid effect-based sediment monitoring. Proteotoxic-stress-reporting Escherichia coli TV1061 cells were immobilized in a crosslinked alginate hydrogel at the bottom of standard cuvettes, thereby enabling direct contact with an overlying sediment layer while maintaining physical separation and a clear optical detection zone. The developed instrument enabled rapid sequential cuvette measurements under field conditions. An optimal incubation time (OIT) of 85 min was established. Measurements of sediment extracts showed good agreement with a conventional microplate reader assay (Pearson’s r = 0.977). Analytical characterization using ethanol showed a concentration-dependent response, with 0.75% (v/v), the lowest tested concentration, yielding a significant response on both the instrument and a conventional microplate reader. Direct analysis of unprocessed environmental sediments produced significant inhibition of the bioluminescent responses, and on-site measurements demonstrated the feasibility of operating the complete platform under field conditions. Overall, the platform provides a practical approach for rapid, on-site effect-based screening of environmental sediments while substantially simplifying sample preparation and biosensor operation.

Bioregenerative Life Support Systems (BLSS) are considered a key technology for long-duration human space exploration due to resource transport limitations. However, they require a systematic characterization and qualification before they can be integrated into large-scale demonstrators or analog facilities. Reproducible ground-based testing environments are therefore needed to maintain controlled boundary conditions while allowing payload-induced gas exchange to be discerned from external disturbances. This study presents a modular characterization environment developed for the qualification of BLSS payloads and technologies, with particular emphasis on cabin atmosphere gas exchange. The platform provides independent control of O₂, CO₂ and N₂ contents, thermal and humidity management and a distributed sensing architecture with database-integrated data logging to support long-duration operation. System performance was verified through long-duration experiments addressing cabin atmosphere stability, leakage-induced concentration drift, gas-composition control, disturbance response and thermal management. Defined O₂ and CO₂ concentration offsets were maintained over extended operating periods ranging from days to weeks with passive drift low enough to enable quantitative payload gas-exchange characterization. Stress testing under simulated O₂ consumption demonstrated robust controller performance under elevated disturbance loads. Thermal verification confirmed preservation of payload-specific temperature control, controlled condensate recovery and humidity management. These results demonstrate that the platform provides stable, configurable and reproducible boundary conditions for quantitative testing of BLSS payloads. By bridging laboratory-scale development and integrated BLSS facilities, the characterization environment enables technology qualification for full-scale implementation.