In the current industrial age, hazardous substances are produced, stored and shipped in large quantities. An accidental or deliberate release of such substances can result in a chemical cloud that endangers civil population and first responder. By means of classical analytical methods (e.g. Ion-Mobility Spectrometry, Gas Chromatography – Mass Spectrometry, test papers) chemical clouds are only measureable if a detector operator enters that cloud. Using these standard techniques, the dimension and movement of such a cloud are not assessable.

The RAPIDPlus is a stand-off detector for the detection and identification of chemical agent clouds. The RAPIDPlus mounted onto a stationary tripod is able to detect ammonia in industrial complexes up to a distance of several kilometers. The dimension and movement of the cloud can be estimated using a novel Video Overlay Mode (VOM). Additionally, the detection of a chemical agent in an industrial complex can be successfully demonstrated from a moving vehicle using the RAPIDplus installed on an optional shock-absorbing mount.

• Stand-Off Detection of Toxic Industrial Chemicals in Industrial Complexes Using RAPIDplus