Drones, sensors and analysis: translating research into solutions

We offer bespoke, innovative solutions to a wide variety of environmental management problems using our diverse and creative scientific and engineering skill sets

We hold CAA permissions and insurance for commercial drone operations

Drop us a line at Rick@bigskyscience.com to start a conversation

What we do...

Photogrammetry


We are experts at using drone photography to make 3D models, georeferenced orthophotos and Digital Elevation Models to client specified accuracy.

Data Presentation and Analysis

We do data! In fact we love it: Statistical analysis,  and presentation of complex science in easy to understand and easy to action formats suitable for all levels

Atmospheric Measurements

With PhD level knowledge of meteorology, pollutant gases and particulates we can provide instrumentation & measurement expertise for a wide range of projects including Urban Air Quality, Industrial Emissions, and natural hazards monitoring.

Sensor Development and Integration

With coding skills in languages such as C, C++, Python, Javascript and electrical engineering we can work with all kinds of sensors and data formats and rates to link them with other systems. We specialise in drone/sensor integration for realtime measurements, from inexpensive, arduino and Pi based systems, to state-of-the-art Hyperspectral LIDARs and gas and aerosol flux systems, we understand them all.

Recent Projects

Instrument Integration with Drone Technology

  • Automating control and integration with autopilot for a Sun Induced Fluorescence instrument for crop health assessments and satellite pixel comparison
  • Hyperspectral LIDAR protocols and flights for safe, legal and repeatable flights
  • Small, robust air quality and meteorological sensors for rapidly deployable atmospheric measurements

3D Geological Mapping



  • Mapping active volcanoes to assess cone growth, material transport via lava flows and lahars. Knowledge transfer to local volcanologists/drone operators.
  • Cliff and coastal model generation for teaching, assessment and research.

Forest Mapping and Analysis

tree_analysis



  • Automated tree height, location , crown area detection
  • Secondary metrics such as stocking density, growth indicies
  • Tie in with ground truthing and distributed sensor networks

Dr Rick Thomas is a innovative measurement scientist specializing in the use of novel instrumentation for climate and air quality research. He launched Big Sky Science Ltd (named after the inspirational skies of his Lincolnshire birthplace) to help provide practical solutions to urgent local and global environmental issues.

His background includes work at Scripps Institution of Oceanography in California, where he developed a turbulent flux measurement package to resolve ambient 3D wind vectors from an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and successfully used it alongside aerosol, cloud and water probes to investigate aerosol-cloud-climate interactions. Including flying up to 14,000ft in altitude and 100 nautical miles horizontally in the Indian Ocean.

He has developed many other instruments, including recently i) a gas sampling device for a UAV helicopter platform used to obtain isotopic methane information from 9,000ft above the southern Atlantic Ocean and ii) lightweight meteorological sensors comfortably carried by racing pigeons to measure fine-scale microclimate variability above urban areas. His PhD was in earth atmosphere exchange of trace gases and particulates using turbulent flux measurement techniques.  

Rick has also led five iterations of a hands-on summer school to disseminate all aspects of drone use for the environmental sciences.

 

Publications:

  • Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS)-Based Methods for Solar Induced Chlorophyll Fluorescence (SIF) Retrieval with Non-Imaging Spectrometers: State of the Art. Vargas, J.Q.; Bendig, J.; Mac Arthur, A.; Burkart, A.; Julitta, T.; Maseyk, K.; Thomas, R.; Siegmann, B.; Rossini, M.; Celesti, M.; Schüttemeyer, D.; Kraska, T.; Muller, O.; Rascher, U. Remote Sens. 2020, 12, 1624.

 

  • “Remote sensing and identification of volcanic plumes using fixed-wing UAVs over Volcán de Fuego, Guatemala”. Schellenberg, B., Richardson, T., Watson, M., Greatwood, C., Clarke, R., Thomas, R., Wood, K., et al. (2019). Journal of Field Robotics, 36 (7), 1192-1211

 

  • “Characteristics of free air carbon dioxide enrichment of a northern temperate mature forest” Hart, KM, Curioni, G, Blaen, P, Harper, NJ, Miles, P, Lewin, KF, Nagy, J, Bannister, EJ, Cai, XM, Thomas, RM, Krause, S, Tausz, M & MacKenzie, AR 2019, Global Change Biology. 10.1111/gcb.14786.

 

  • “High‐frequency monitoring of catchment nutrient exports reveals highly variable storm event responses and dynamic source zone activation” Blaen, P. J., Khamis, K., Lloyd, C., Comer‐Warner, S., Ciocca, F., Thomas, R. M., MacKenzie, A. R., and Krause, S. (2017), J. Geophys. Res. Biogeosci., 122, 2265– 2281, doi:10.1002/2017JG003904.

 

  • Avian Sensor Packages for Meteorological Measurements in Complex Terrain and Urban Environments.” Thomas, R. M., A. R. MacKenzie, J. Reynolds, J. P. Sadler, Cropley, S. Bell, S. Dugdale, L. Chapman, A. Quinn and X. Cai (2017). Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society http://journals.ametsoc.org/doi/10.1175/BAMS-D-16-0181.1 ).

 

  • “Black carbon solar absorption suppresses turbulence in the atmospheric boundary layer.” Wilcox, E. M., R. M. Thomas, P. S. Praveen, K. Pistone, F. A. M. Bender and V. Ramanathan (2016). Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 113(42): 11794-11799.

 

  • “Observed correlations between aerosol and cloud properties in an Indian Ocean trade cumulus regime.” Pistone, K., P. S. Praveen, R. M. Thomas, V. Ramanathan, E. M. Wilcox and F. A. M. Bender (2016). “Observed correlations between aerosol and cloud properties in an Indian Ocean trade cumulus regime.” Atmos. Chem. Phys. 16(8): 5203-5227.

 

  • “Methane mole fraction and δ13C above and below the trade wind inversion at Ascension Island in air sampled by aerial robotics.” Brownlow, R., D. Lowry, R. M. Thomas, R. E. Fisher, J. L. France, M. Cain, T. S. Richardson, C. Greatwood, J. Freer, J. A. Pyle, A. R. MacKenzie and E. G. Nisbet (2016). Geophysical Research Letters 43(22): 11,893-811,902.

 

  • “Measurement of turbulent water vapor fluxes using a lightweight unmanned aerial vehicle system.” Thomas, R. M., K. Lehmann, H. Nguyen, D. L. Jackson, D. Wolfe and V. Ramanathan (2012). Atmos. Meas. Tech. 5(1): 243-257.

 

  • “Atmospheric Sampling on Ascension Island Using Multirotor UAVs.” Greatwood, C., T. Richardson, J. Freer, R. Thomas, A. MacKenzie, R. Brownlow, D. Lowry, R. Fisher and E. Nisbet (2017). Sensors 17(6): 1189.

 

  • “Isoprene emission potentials from European oak forests derived from canopy flux measurements: An assessment of uncertainties and inter-algorithm variability.” Langford, B., J. Cash, W. J. F. Acton, A. C. Valach, C. N. Hewitt, S. Fares, I. Goded, C. Gruening, E. House, A. C. Kalogridis, V. Gros, R. Schafers, R. Thomas, M. Broadmeadow and E. Nemitz (2017). Biogeosciences Discuss. 1-33.

 

  • “Model–data synthesis for the next generation of forest free-air CO2 enrichment (FACE) experiments.” Norby, R. J., M. G. De Kauwe, T. F. Domingues, R. A. Duursma, D. S. Ellsworth, D. S. Goll, D. M. Lapola, K. A. Luus, A. R. MacKenzie, B. E. Medlyn, R. Pavlick, A. Rammig, B. Smith, R. Thomas, K. Thonicke, A. P. Walker, X. Yang and S. Zaehle (2016). (2016). New Phytologist 209(1): 17-28.

 

  • “Surface/atmosphere exchange and chemical interactions of reactive nitrogen compounds above a manured grassland.” Twigg, M. M., E. House, R. Thomas, J. Whitehead, G. J. Phillips, D. Famulari, D. Fowler, M. W. Gallagher, J. N. Cape, M. A. Sutton and E. Nemitz (2011). Agricultural and Forest Meteorology. 151(12): 1488-1503.

 

  • “An Automated Analyzer to Measure Surface-Atmosphere Exchange Fluxes of Water Soluble Inorganic Aerosol Compounds and Reactive Trace Gases.” Rick M. Thomas, Ivonne Trebs, René Otjes, Piet A. C. Jongejan, Harry ten Brink, Gavin Phillips, Michael Kortner, Franz X. Meixner, and Eiko Nemitz Environmental Science & Technology 2009 43 (5), 1412-1418 DOI: 10.1021/es8019403

 

 

 
 

Contact Us

Phone

+44(0)7572333299

Email

rick@bigskyscience.com

Address

Birmingham, UK

Big Sky Science Ltd is registered in England and Wales, Company Number 11286400

10 Wrens Court, 48 Victoria Road, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, B72 1SY