Development and Preliminary Evaluation of Low-Cost VOC Sensors for USV-Based Oil Spill Detection

Abstract

Oil spills that are caused by maritime transportation and offshore activities lead to significant environmental risks underscoring the need for rapid and cost-effective monitoring solutions. Unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) offer flexible platforms for marine surveillance; however, their effectiveness depends on reliable sensing technologies. This study aims to detect the presence of surface oil spills by using a low-cost VOC sensing system with a remote monitoring capability. A modular VOC sensor system was made for USV platforms enabling scalability and on-site integration. The performance was tested by laboratory and outdoor experiments with varying VOC concentrations and environmental conditions. Results showed consistent sensor responses to different concentrations with variability because of airflow and ambient conditions. For all scenarios our sensor reliably distinguished oil-contaminated conditions from background environments. These results support the use of low-cost VOC sensing for scalable USV-based marine monitoring and providing a foundation for data-driven oil spill detection approaches.