Earth science researchers flew small unmanned aerial vehicles in secret into the sulfur dioxide plume of Costa Rica’s volcano Turrialba to study its chemical environment.
The scientists launched flights of small electric aircraft, equipped with cameras and sensors, into the volcanic plume of the Turrialba Volcano reported NASA.
The Dragon Eye UAVs, formerly used by the U.S. Marine Corps, used in the study weigh 5.9 pounds, have a 3.75-foot wingspan and utilize twin electric engines that ingest little contaminated air, the researchers said.
In Costa Rica, 3 Dragon Eye drones did 10 trips to the interior of the volcano creater that is 3 thousand and 340 meters high from the 11 to 14 of march.