Improvement of analysis results from the GAGG scintillator Compton camera operated on an unmanned helicopter by selecting stable flight conditions

Shikaze, Yoshiaki ; Shimazoe, Kenji*

A Compton camera system for use on an unmanned helicopter was previously developed for characterizing the distribution of radioactive materials in highly contaminated areas. For this study, a small camera, a laser distance meter, an attitude angles sensor, temperature sensors, and real-time monitoring software were equipped to the Compton camera system to better measure flight parameters and to more precisely detect hot spot locations. To confirm if detection results were improved by the modifications, measurements were taken from hovering and programmed flights over a field in Okuma, Fukushima Prefecture (Japan). Ambient dose equivalent rate distributions at ground level were obtained by processing the flight data, then compared against measurements taken at ground level on foot using a survey meter. For one hovering flight, the correlation between the datasets was improved by selecting a period of stable flight position and attitude, and by restricting the deviation of the attitude angles. Between 6.0%-7.6% improvement in the position resolution was achieved by using the data from stable flight periods, even when using 1 minute data windows. The precision of hot spot detections and ambient dose equivalent rate distributions obtained from the Compton camera were thus improved by the aforementioned modifications to the system.