Eyes in the Sky: Drones Tackle Landfill Methane

A new drone partnership is cutting methane leaks and costs at U.S. landfills with faster, smarter emission tracking.

22 Apr 2025

A high-tech shift is taking flight over America’s landfills.

Sniffer Robotics and Project Canary have teamed up to launch a drone-powered methane monitoring system that could transform the fast-growing biogas industry. Their airborne solution promises quicker, smarter, and more affordable leak detection with no boots on the ground required.

Since April, drones equipped with methane sensors have been gliding over landfill sites, collecting real-time data and feeding it directly into Project Canary’s emissions platform. The system can scan large areas in minutes, spotting leaks with pinpoint precision and offering around-the-clock insights that manual methods simply can’t match.

With U.S. biogas production surging and pressure mounting to cut greenhouse gas emissions, the timing is no coincidence. Traditional inspection crews often miss subtle leaks and require days to cover what a drone can scan in a single flyover.

“This isn’t just about compliance,” said Project Canary CEO Chris Romer. “It’s about giving landfill operators the data edge they need to thrive in the clean energy economy.”

Early results back that up. Internal models project a 60 percent drop in labor costs, with triple the site coverage of manual inspections. That efficiency is good for business and the planet. Landfills with lower methane intensity can tap into premium clean fuel credits and sell to higher-value markets.

Of course, not every site is ready for takeoff. Some face drone flight restrictions, and integrating new systems with aging infrastructure remains a hurdle. But the industry is clearly moving toward automation, precision, and accountability in real time.

As the demand for renewable gas ramps up, the sky may no longer be the limit. It could be the solution.