Case study by SPH Engineering · Methane Detection · Landfills
Finding landfill hotspots and methane leaks with drones
MAYA-DMDA monitors landfills from the air. Its drones carry thermal cameras and an SPH Engineering system with a Laser Falcon methane sensor, so problems are found before they grow into fires or large emissions.
The challenge
Landfill teams often act only after a problem has appeared. Hidden hotspots can turn into subsurface fires, and methane leaks add to greenhouse gas emissions. Regulators are watching landfills more closely, so operators need a way to find these issues early across large sites.
The solution
MAYA-DMDA flies drones fitted with thermal imaging and an SPH Engineering system built around the Laser Falcon methane sensor. The workflow has two steps:
- Thermal cameras pick up changes in surface temperature that point to possible hotspots, while the Laser Falcon system measures gas concentrations to find methane emissions.
- The drone data is processed into detailed thermal and gas maps of the landfill. These maps show which areas need attention first.
The results
SPH Engineering reports that the system has been used at several locations and has found both hotspots and methane emissions. Operators used the maps to act in time, preventing subsurface fires and cutting greenhouse gas emissions.
The benefits SPH Engineering lists:
- regular, systematic surveys that catch hotspots and leaks early;
- lower costs, because problems are fixed before large-scale remediation is needed;
- less risk of environmental contamination, which helps operators meet their regulatory duties.
Where this applies in India
The same thermal-plus-methane workflow suits:
- municipal landfills and legacy dumpsites;
- waste processing and bio-mining sites that need regular hotspot checks;
- landfill cover inspections after capping work;
- consultants who monitor several waste sites on a schedule.
SPH Engineering's methane detection training is also available through HobiTech.
The equipment, available from HobiTech
| Methane detector | Laser Falcon was used in this project. See our current methane detection systems. |
| Thermal camera | Thermal cameras were used for hotspot detection. Ask us for current compatible options. |
| Drone | The source does not name the drone. Ask us for current compatible drones. |
Case study by SPH Engineering, published May 2024. This page summarises it in our own words; the monitoring was carried out by MAYA-DMDA, not by HobiTech. Read the original case study on SPH Engineering ↗
Need to monitor a landfill from the air?
Tell us the site size and what you need to find. We will recommend the methane detector, drone and SkyHub setup, quoted in rupees with a GST invoice.