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Safer, faster sampling in remote environments
Safer, faster sampling in remote environments
From left: Andreas Tøllefsen and André Kjellstrup preparing the drone for deployment. Photo: Katrine Jaklin, NORCE
News（https://www.norceresearch.no/en/News?categories=24012016）
Published: 16.09.2026
Oppdatert: 22.09.2026
Katrine Jaklin（https://www.norceresearch.no/en/persons/katrine-jaklin/24149247）
Researchers at NORCE have developed a tool that can collect biological samples from inaccessible and hazardous areas without requiring people to enter risky terrain. Equipped with a small vacuum system mounted on a robotic arm, the drone can gather samples remotely.
How It Works
Once the drone has landed at the sampling site, the operator controls the robotic arm using a camera and remote control. A tube is lowered into the snow, and material is suctioned into a sample container, following the same basic principle as a household vacuum cleaner.
The system was originally developed for collecting snow algae as part of the EU-funded XTREAM project（https://xtream-project.eu/）. Snow algae are microscopic organisms that grow in small patches, sometimes only a few centimeters across, and can give snow a faint pink tint. These algae can be difficult to detect and challenging to access on foot.
The researchers see potential applications far beyond snow algae. The technology could be used for environmental monitoring and biological sampling in a wide range of hard-to-reach locations. The next step is to make the system more robust, user-friendly, and capable of collecting multiple samples during a single mission.
A snow sample was collected and brought to the laboratory. Photo: Håvard Snefjellå Løvås
Testing of the vacuum system. Photo: Håvard Snefjellå Løvås
From Laboratory to Mountainside
The technology was first tested in NORCE’s laboratory in Tromsø, where the drone successfully collected a snow sample. Laboratory analysis and microscopy confirmed the presence of living algae in the sample.
Field trials were later conducted by NORCE in Finnvikdalen on Kvaløya. The drone collected material from several sampling sites, and subsequent laboratory analyses again confirmed that the samples contained living algae.
– This demonstrates that the entire process works in practice, from identifying suitable sampling locations to collecting biological material, says Stian Solbø, Research Director for Drones and Autonomous Systems at NORCE.
The technology offers several additional benefits. Researchers no longer need to work on steep mountain slopes or traverse unstable snow conditions. Tasks that previously required hours of fieldwork can now be completed in minutes. Reduced transportation needs and less traffic in sensitive environments also help minimize environmental impact.
The snow sample is collected in a small bottle. Photo: Katrine Jaklin, NORCE
NORCE's van becomes a control centre during field work. Photo: Katrine Jaklin, NORCE
The snow algae were collected in Finnvikdalen near Tromsø. Photo: Katrine Jaklin, NORCE