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Evaluation and Intercomparison of Small Uncrewed Aircraft Systems Used for Atmospheric Research

Journal Article · · Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [5];  [6];  [5];  [7];  [6];  [7];  [8];  [4];  [6];  [8];  [3];  [7];  [5];  [5];  [4]
  1. a Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, b Physical Sciences Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Boulder, Colorado, c Integrated Remote and In Situ Sensing, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado
  2. a Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, b Physical Sciences Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Boulder, Colorado
  3. d Black Swift Technologies, Boulder, Colorado
  4. f Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska
  5. g Cooperative Institute for High-Impact and Severe Weather Research and Operations, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma
  6. c Integrated Remote and In Situ Sensing, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado
  7. h School of Meteorology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma
  8. e School of Computing, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska
+ Show Author Affiliations

Abstract

Small uncrewed aircraft systems (sUAS) are regularly being used to conduct atmospheric research and are starting to be used as a data source for informing weather models through data assimilation. However, only a limited number of studies have been conducted to evaluate the performance of these systems and assess their ability to replicate measurements from more traditional sensors such as radiosondes and towers. In the current work, we use data collected in central Oklahoma over a 2-week period to offer insight into the performance of five different sUAS platforms and associated sensors in measuring key weather data. This includes data from three rotary-wing and two fixed-wing sUAS and included two commercially available systems and three university-developed research systems. Flight data were compared to regular radiosondes launched at the flight location, tower observations, and intercompared with data from other sUAS platforms. All platforms were shown to measure atmospheric state with reasonable accuracy, though there were some consistent biases detected for individual platforms. This information can be used to inform future studies using these platforms and is currently being used to provide estimated error covariances as required in support of assimilation of sUAS data into weather forecasting systems.

Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER)
Grant/Contract Number:
NONE; SC0021381
OSTI ID:
2310398
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 2311809
Journal Information:
Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology, Journal Name: Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 41; ISSN 0739-0572
Publisher:
American Meteorological SocietyCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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