Somewhat bigger than a battery exploding. At 6am our local volcano produced a large explosion which shook the house, scared the shit out of me and sent the dogs barking mad. Two hours later ash started falling and then she started erupting in ernest, 24 hours later she is still going strong. Ash clouds fill the sky and there have been several pyroclastic flows.

This graph is from the Ecuadorian Institute of Seismology and Vulcanology. It is one of several such monitoring stations for Tungurahua and it is updated in real time. Their website is full of good information, a big thumbs up to the scientists there. All the red parts I can hear from my house which is 15km away. The nearest town (Banos de Agua Santa) is much closer to the volcano so spare a thought for everyone living there. For them they sweep up the ash and life goes on. I have to go to town to pay some bills and get supplies in case it gets worse. After that its a great reason to work on more articles indoors until the rain washes the ash away. I'd say I will have even more time up my sleeve as they say here "An eruption a day keeps the tourists away."

This is a photo I took December last year, it is a much smaller eruption than the one that is happening right now.

Why post this here? Eventually I would like to fly a drone over Tungurahua. I still have a long way to go but I already have an FPV Raptor as an airframe and an Ardupilot Mega from DIY drones. The summit of Tungurahua is 16,000 feet ASL, and I figure I could start the flight from about half that altitude. Its a big task for a little plane and perhaps impossible but it will be fun trying.