Low-cost sensors have emerged as a sound solution to air quality monitoring with better spatial coverage. The prime concern over the large-scale deployment of these sensors is their accuracy. However, the cost-effectiveness and the ability of such systems to provide regulatory grade data has led to large-scale ground studies. Governments and research organizations play an elemental role in supporting these studies. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) identifies low-cost sensors as important in providing supplemental air quality data for improving the precision, accuracy, and spatial/temporal coverage of satellite and traditional reference station measurements.

In addition to that, the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur (IIT) in collaboration with the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) has conducted a detailed analysis of indigenous low-cost sensors. The primary aim of this study was to curb the declining air quality of Maharashtra through a network of monitoring devices. This study reports 85-90% sensor efficiency which is subject to improvement with periodic maintenance.