About Carbon Swarm

Based in New Mexico, Carbon Swarm uses advanced drone technology to help oil and gas operators pinpoint methane leaks with speed, safety, and precision so they can reduce risk, protect revenue, and limit environmental impact.

From Research to Innovation

Carbon Swarm started as a research project at the University of New Mexico, where our founding team developed drone-based sensing technology as part of a PhD program. Backed by an NSF grant, we studied volcanic gases like CO₂ and SO₂ to better understand magma activity and eruption patterns.

To do this, we engineered quadrotor aircraft capable of carrying gas sensors directly into volcanic plumes—an approach that proved both unique and highly successful in some of the harshest environments on Earth. This work demonstrated not only the reliability of our platform but also its potential for applications far beyond volcanology.

From Volcanoes to Methane

While our volcanic research advanced science, we recognized that methane emissions represent one of today’s most urgent industrial and environmental challenges—and an area where our technology could make a far greater impact.

Traditional approaches to methane monitoring each have limits:

Satellites capture only the largest leaks and are restricted by weather and timing.
Aerial surveys are costly, infrequent, and often miss smaller or intermittent leaks.
Ground sensors provide continuous data but are expensive to deploy at scale.

Carbon Swarm bridges these gaps with a system purpose-built for oil and gas operations. By adapting our proven drone technology, we can pinpoint even small leaks at the source, quantify their impact, and deliver actionable data operators can use for compliance, certification, and smarter operations.

This pivot allows us to move from advancing scientific knowledge to delivering measurable value—helping the energy industry cut losses, improve safety, and reduce emissions.

The Minds Behind the Mission

The Carbon Swarm team brings together scientists, engineers, and innovators who have transformed years of research into a practical solution for the energy industry. United by a shared goal of using technology to solve urgent environmental and operational challenges, the team combines deep academic expertise with real-world field experience.

Scott Nowicki leads the commercialization effort, drawing on his background in satellite remote sensing, UAS systems, and environmental robotics. With experience bridging academia and industry, he ensures Carbon Swarm’s technology is built for impact at scale.

John Ericksen, the original developer of the UNM VolCAN swarm, engineered the drone hardware, wrote the control software, and deployed the system in extreme volcanic environments. His work laid the foundation for the reliable, field-ready platform Carbon Swarm uses today.

Tobias Fischer is a globally recognized expert in gas emissions and geochemistry. His decades of research in gas sampling, chemical analysis, and plume dynamics provide the scientific backbone for Carbon Swarm’s precision detection and measurement methods.

Together, this team represents the rare blend of scientific rigor, engineering innovation, and commercialization expertise required to transform breakthrough research into an industry-ready solution.

Our Commitment to the Future

As regulations tighten worldwide, we provide the high-resolution data needed for certification programs and global methane pledges—making New Mexico’s energy sector, and beyond, cleaner, more competitive, and more sustainable.

We remain committed to innovation, collaboration, and delivering practical tools that create measurable value for the oil and gas industry while protecting the environment we all share.