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Description
The methodology of radiation surveillance has been transitioning from a manual, high-risk endeavor to a sophisticated, data-driven discipline. The current trend is to move beyond static, ground-based measurements, carried out by human personnel, toward a dynamic, autonomous Internet of Things (IoT) framework. This shift represents a fundamental evolution of the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) from its military origins into intelligent practical solutions within a collaborative IoT ecosystem. By combining UAVs with IoT technologies, multi-level monitoring systems can be developed to mitigate human exposure while enabling access to hazardous environments previously deemed unreachable. The STU team has responded to this transition by developing the RaSens IoT based radiation monitoring device as part of the STU-GUARD and STU-RMS projects. The RaSens modules are designed for measurements from an UAV as well as for deployment via UAV to radiation-affected areas as independent nodes, providing real-time monitoring, mapping the airborne radioactivity, and forming a network of nodes sharing measured data and performing independent assessments. In this paper we are summarizing the results of laboratory tests conducted over the last two years of development. The measurements focus on evaluating the sensitivity and linearity of the measurement nodes as well as their resistance to increased levels of neutron and gamma radiation. The tests have been performed in the new Laboratory of Neutron Applications at STU and in cooperation with the Slovak Institute of Metrology.