WeatherHive Overview: The use of NanoDrones for High Resolution Environmental Sensing

The global earth observing system is a key data source for near real-time monitoring of extreme weather events as well as input for numerical weather prediction (NWP). High spatial, temporal, and vertical sampling of critical meteorological information is imperative to improve forecasts and build a weather-ready nation. There are, however, significant gaps in the availability of observations, particularly in the planetary boundary layer which is severely under sampled. These earth observing system data gaps reduce model prediction accuracy, limit the situational awareness for operational forecasters, and reduce our ability to monitor the climate completely.

Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) provide a unique opportunity to bridge this gap. WeatherHive is an all in one platform developed by GreenSight that produces on-demand targeted meteorological information at a high spatial, temporal, and vertical sampling rate throughout the planetary boundary layer. Equipped with a suite of weather sensors, these palm-sized unmanned aircraft are automatically launched from their ‘hive’ providing up to 10 miles of monitoring in one flight and reaching 5 km in altitude. They work in a swarm allowing dozens or more to be deployed autonomously gathering more information than a single UAV. Remotely deployable, WeatherHive can gather meteorological information in data-sparse locations providing critical information and filling in the observational gap.

We will present an overview of the development of WeatherHive. Initial ongoing testing results will be presented to highlight the accuracy of the key observations taken from WeatherHive, which include: barometric pressure, 3D wind speed and direction, ambient air temperature and relative humidity. The potential contribution of WeatherHive to NWP forecasting will be discussed and future weather and climate applications will be explored.