AUGUSTA — Drones from the Uncrewed Aircraft Training program at the University of Maine at Augusta have been engaged in cleanup efforts at the Brunswick Executive Airport since approximately 1,450 gallons of aqueous film-forming foam, mixed with 50,000 gallons of water, was released from Hangar 4 on Aug. 19.

The AFFF is of particular concern as it contains poly-fluoroalkyl substances, commonly known as PFAS, which are considered “forever chemicals.” Though these chemicals have been used in consumer products worldwide since about the 1950s, according to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, they are difficult to break down and can adversely affect health.

UMA drones have been monitoring the environment from the air, searching for evidence of foam and providing important information about its possible spread in nearby waterways. The Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority contacted Dr. Daniel Leclair, assistant professor of aviation/uncrewed aircraft systems at UMA, to participate in the cleanup efforts, in a news release from LeClair.

Tasked with monitoring the environment, including tidal marshes, between the airport and Casco Bay, Leclair has conducted vital daily aerial photography, looking for evidence of the foam spreading.

The drones are invaluable for quickly accessing areas that would otherwise be time-consuming and difficult to reach. Instead of hiking through dense forests or tangled grassland, through underbrush, mud, and rocks, the drones can be flown high above or close to the surface. They can record video and take still shots with powerful zoom lenses and image stabilizers.

Leclair is an experienced uncrewed aircraft pilot, having flown multiple missions, including recording the extent of damage from Hurricane Sandy for FEMA in 2012. He uses different drones for specific purposes. For this mission, he employs the small but powerful Parrot ANAFI USA, initially designed for the U.S. Army, which is particularly good for flying along the waterways under tree canopies. He is also using two larger drones, the DJI Matrice 210 and the fast-moving, long-range DJI Inspire 2, which are better for more open areas and locations farther away. These drones have up to seven cameras, some for recording images and others for navigational functions. Not all foam on these waters is AFFF; some can be from biological sources resulting from natural processes. All potential areas of interest are photographed, and the locations recorded are reported directly to the Coast Guard to evaluate and triage for further study.

By assisting in the monitoring and cleanup efforts, UMA is helping research efforts at the University of Maine PFAS+ Research Initiative and other researchers studying AFFF behavior in waters and tidal marshes.

For more information about UMaine’s PFAS+ research, visit umaine.edu. To learn more about sampling and remediation efforts, visit the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) web page for the Brunswick site at maine.gov.

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