Airborne Intelligent Monitoring and Quantification of Greenhouse Gases
Loughborough UniversityLoughborough, United Kingdom
Course overview
Methane (CH₄) is the second most significant greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide (CO₂), with over 30 times the global warming potential over a 100-year period. It plays a key role in near-term climate action due to its short atmospheric lifetime and its prevalence in waste, energy, and agricultural sectors. Accurate, site-specific monitoring and quantification of CH₄ emissions are urgently needed to support the UK’s Net Zero strategy and global methane reduction commitments.
This PhD project aims to develop a next-generation airborne environmental monitoring system using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) equipped with miniaturised gas sensors. The project will integrate artificial intelligence, active sensing, and robotic autonomy to enable UAVs to identify, sample, and quantify greenhouse gas emissions in real time with high spatial and temporal resolution. You will investigate how information-theoretic planning and active inference techniques can guide UAVs to collect the most valuable data during survey missions.
The project will develop algorithms for real-time flight path adaptation, cooperative sensing among multiple UAVs, and the use of dispersion models and statistical inference to locate unknown sources and estimate their emission strength. Working with project partners and supported by LUCAS’s dedicated UAV test field, you will deploy and validate your system in real-world environments such as landfills, farms, or energy production sites. 94% of Loughborough’s research impact is rated world-leading or internationally excellent.
REF 2021
Key highlights
- Develop UAV-based systems with miniaturised gas sensors for methane monitoring
- Combines artificial intelligence, active sensing and robotic autonomy
- Algorithms for real-time flight path adaptation and multi-UAV cooperative sensing
- Uses dispersion models and statistical inference to locate emission sources
- Real-world trials at landfills, farms or energy production sites
- Access to a dedicated UAV test field and project partners
Entry requirements
- Degree: 2:1 — 2:1
Scholarships
Alumni Bursary
10% of tuition fees which will be credited to the student’s tuition fee account.
Up to 10% of feesAlumni Discount
UK students: £1,500 tuition fee discount for one academic year. International students: £3,000 tuition fee discount for one academic year.
Care Leaver's Scholarship
Excellence Scholarships
UK students: £3,000 off tuition fees; International students: £6,000 off tuition fees which will be credited to the student’s tuition fee account.
International Sports Student Postgraduate Bursary
Our International Sports Student Postgraduate Bursary offers a £12,000 tuition fee discount (set against the tuition fees of your chosen postgraduate taught programme ONLY).
Up to £12,000London 10th Anniversary Award
£5,000 off tuition fees.
Up to £5,000Loughborough Business School Scholarship
£1,500 (UK students) and £3,000 (international students) off tuition fees which will be credited to the student’s tuition fee account.
MBA Progress with Purpose Scholarship
50% of tuition fees which will be credited to the student’s tuition fee account.
Up to 50% of feesQatari Ghanim Al-Muftah Excellence Scholarship
Careers this course leads to
- Postdoctoral Research Associate
- Robotics and Autonomous Systems Engineer
- UAV Systems Engineer
- Environmental Monitoring Scientist
- Greenhouse Gas Emissions Analyst
- Machine Learning Engineer
Cost of study
UK/Home: £5,238 | International: £29,500
Admission
Applications are made through AHZ at no cost. Share your transcripts, English test scores and personal statement, and your AHZ Counsellor will review your profile, submit your application to Loughborough University, and guide you through interview, offer, CAS and visa — right up to enrolment.
Ready to start?
Book a free consultation and we'll map your fastest route to a October 2026 place.