Sniffer Robotics Inc. Expands to Canada Scaling SnifferDRONE to Meet Landfill Methane Emissions Needs

September 18, 2024

4 Min Read
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ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Sniffer Robotics Inc. (SRI), the developer of the SnifferDRONE™ unmanned aerial system (UAS) for landfill methane emissions leak detection and localization, announces a new partnership program, the company's first partners, and a successful entry into the Canadian market.

SRI's partner program expands the UAS technology to international customers by partnering with local industry service providers who fly the SnifferDRONE for data collection purposes. SRI manages the data and its transformation to actionable information for compliance purposes, or to valuable insights that help improve operations through increased gas collection, odor reduction, and/or fleet site assessments for internal benchmarking purposes.

SRI's first partners include DroneXperts Inc., headquarted in Québec City. Sniffer's partners provide significant drone and environmental services expertise and manage remote flight operations on behalf of SRI to serve the Canadian market. Through this arrangement, SRI recently completed its first commercial operations in Canada. The work involved methane emissions monitoring inspections at landfills across Canada in five different provinces from Quebec to Alberta. These commercial surveys also provided an opportunity for partner companies to gain experience in efficient and effective landfill methane leak detection and localization operations using the SnifferDRONE UAS.

This past June, the Government of Canada's Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) published proposed regulations for the waste sector governing the reduction of methane from landfills. Similar to current US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) landfill regulations, ECCC regulations will require that methane concentration is monitored across the entire landfill surface and at locations where infrastructure is present. While the new regulations are anticipated to become effective in 2027, assessment of methane emissions from each landfill site are expected within the next year via model or measurement-based investigation. There are two methods to comply with the ECCC Surface Emissions Monitoring (SEM) regulation. The first is a traditional SEM walking survey where a handheld sensor measures at-surface methane concentrations – this method is labor intensive and hazardous. The second method is an EPA-compliant method known as Other Test Method 51 (OTM-51), using aerial drones to measure methane concentrations fed to the drone sensor from an umbilical. OTM-51 is the industry's most precise, accurate, and comprehensive method for methane leak detection. Sites are now using the OTM-51 compliant SnifferDRONE system to assess their facilities in anticipation of the ECCC's new proposed regulations.

The partnerships with DroneXperts and others will make it feasible for SRI to deliver its SnifferDRONE solution throughout Canada to meet customer needs. According to Chief Revenue Officer Arthur Mohr Jr., "We're excited about the next phase of our business ushered in via a partner program designed to provide best in class, local service, with the scale to meet the entire needs of the market." Sniffer Robotics will scale its Canada operations with DroneXperts through its partnership program and will announce additional partners in the coming months to provide its industry leading emissions monitoring system and solutions to more countries throughout the world.

About Sniffer Robotics, Inc.

Sniffer Robotics is a leading environmental technology enabled services firm serving the waste, natural gas, and agriculture industries throughout the United States. Sniffer Robotics' technologies and services improve emission detection and measurement, odor leak identification and revenue generation from increased gas capture for conversion to energy, while benefiting the environment. In December 2022, the company received US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approval of its patented automated UAS for quarterly compliance monitoring (OTM-51) after 3+ years of engagement with the agency. Sniffer Robotics is the leading expert on aerial applications for greenhouse gas detection, location and quantification in the Municipal Solid Waste sector, the 3rd largest emitter of methane in the United States, and was recently recognized as one of the top 250 Greentech Companies in America by TIME and Statista.

About DroneXperts

DroneXperts specializes in advanced embedded drone solutions that deliver critical data and actionable insights. As a pioneer in drone technology with over 12 years of experience, DroneXperts offers a comprehensive range of services, including training, data acquisition, equipment rentals, repairs, and maintenance. DroneXperts' mission is to support informed decision-making across industries, from individuals to large organizations in a wide variety of verticals, reflecting their versatility and expertise. With their environmental branch of payloads, Enviro-DX, DroneXperts focuses on leveraging drone technology to address key environmental issues, providing accurate, high-quality data that empowers proactive environmental protection and preservation.

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