Drones detect natural gamma radiation to measure agricultural soil health

July 8, 2025, 9:30AMNuclear News
A drone-borne GRS system assesses soil properties in an agricultural field. (Photo: M. Casling/IAEA)

The International Atomic Energy Agency has initiated a coordinated research project that will combine an “innovative, non-invasive, and scalable nuclear technique”—gamma-ray spectrometry (GRS)—with drones and satellite imagery to gather and analyze data that can reveal the quality of soil on agricultural lands around the world.