Atmospheric Measurements Using Unmanned Aircraft Comparing to Ground Based Sensors

Atmospheric measurements are critical to meteorological models, estimations, and predictions. However, there is a need for continued development of in situ measurements to both improve atmospheric modeling and to make regular sampling more efficient and reliable. Current methods of satellites, balloons, and mesonet towers while productive, are limited, and UAS (unmanned aerial systems) measurements allow for the gap in the methods to narrow atmospheric observations in the form of thermodynamic and wind data will allow for improved mesoscale and climate modeling. In 2009, the National Research Council (NRC) published a report highlighting the limited amount of measurements within the first 3 km of the atmosphere and its negative impact on the forecast of many weather phenomena (e.g., air quality, convection initiation, severe thunderstorms). As a solution, the report called for a nationwide mesoscale measurements network. Such a network would provide the atmospheric soundings required as initial states for numerical weather predictions (NWPs) and in-situ weather verification of the predicted models. A 2021 survey with 630 NOAA/NWS forecasters indicates this need is yet to be met. Given the requirements of this network, any proposed solution needs to be easily replicated, accurate, and cost-effective to be considered as a viable method for filling observational gaps that could enhance NWS observations. This research looks to apply and characterize sUAVs with onboard and IMU based wind sensors to help close this gap to have cheaper and dynamic systems to collect data when needed. It uses data taken at various wind conditions to begin to determine what allow the aircraft and the mounted sensor to have the most accurate data collections, whether is low, medium, or high wind speed environments and which conditions had the highest correlation when compared to the ground sensor. Furthermore, the experiments will characterize the median wind and small scale turbulence measurements of which the platforms are capable.