Title: Intercomparison of Small Unmanned Aircraft System (sUAS) Measurements for Atmospheric Science during the LAPSE-RATE Campaign

Abstract

Small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) are rapidly transforming atmospheric research. With the advancement of the development and application of these systems, improving knowledge of best practices for accurate measurement is critical for achieving scientific goals. We present results from an intercomparison of atmospheric measurement data from the Lower Atmospheric Process Studies at Elevation—a Remotely piloted Aircraft Team Experiment (LAPSE-RATE) field campaign. We evaluate a total of 38 individual sUAS with 23 unique sensor and platform configurations using a meteorological tower for reference measurements. We assess precision, bias, and time response of sUAS measurements of temperature, humidity, pressure, wind speed, and wind direction. Most sUAS measurements show broad agreement with the reference, particularly temperature and wind speed, with mean value differences of 1.6 $\pm 2.6{}^{°}$C and 0.22 $\pm 0.59$ m/s for all sUAS, respectively. sUAS platform and sensor configurations were found to contribute significantly to measurement accuracy. Sensor configurations, which included proper aspiration and radiation shielding of sensors, were found to provide the most accurate thermodynamic measurements (temperature and relative humidity), whereas sonic anemometers on multirotor platforms provided the most accurate wind measurements (horizontal speed and direction). We contribute both a characterization and assessment of sUAS for measuring atmospheric parameters, and identify important challenges and opportunities for improving scientific measurements with sUAS.

Authors:

Barbieri, Lindsay  ^[1];

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• Search DOE PAGES for ORCID "0000-0001-8495-6402"

Kral, Stephan T.  ^[2];

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• Search DOE PAGES for ORCID "0000-0002-7966-8585"

Bailey, Sean C. C.  ^[3];

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Frazier, Amy E.  ^[4];

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Jacob, Jamey D.  ^[5];

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Reuder, Joachim  ^[2];

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Brus, David  ^[6];

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Chilson, Phillip B.  ^[7];

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Crick, Christopher  ^[5];

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Detweiler, Carrick  ^[8];

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Doddi, Abhiram ^[9]; Elston, Jack  ^[10];

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Foroutan, Hosein  ^[11];

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González-Rocha, Javier  ^[11];

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Greene, Brian R.  ^[7];

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Guzman, Marcelo I.  ^[3];

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Houston, Adam L.  ^[8];

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Islam, Ashraful  ^[8];

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Kemppinen, Osku  ^[12];

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Lawrence, Dale ^[9] more »; Pillar-Little, Elizabeth A.  ^[7];

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Ross, Shane D.  ^[11];

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Sama, Michael P.  ^[3];

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Schmale III, David G.  ^[11];

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Schuyler, Travis ^[3]; Shankar, Ajay ^[8]; Smith, Suzanne W.  ^[3];

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• Search DOE PAGES for ORCID "0000-0002-0380-3269"

Waugh, Sean ^[13]; Dixon, Cory ^[9]; Borenstein, Steve ^[9]; de Boer, Gijs  ^[14]

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+ Show Author Affiliations

1. Univ. of Vermont, Burlington, VT (United States)
2. Univ. of Bergen (Norway)
3. Univ. of Kentucky, Lexington, KY (United States)
4. Arizona State Univ., Tempe, AZ (United States)
5. Oklahoma State Univ., Stillwater, OK (United States)
6. Finnish Meteorological Inst., Helsinki (Finland)
7. Univ. of Oklahoma, Norman, OK (United States)
8. Univ. of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE (United States)
9. Univ. of Colorado, Boulder, CO (United States)
10. Black Swift Technologies, Boulder, CO
11. Virginia Polytechnic Inst. and State Univ. (Virginia Tech), Blacksburg, VA (United States)
12. Kansas State Univ., Manhattan, KS (United States)
13. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Norman, OK (United States). National Severe Storms Lab.
14. Univ. of Colorado, Boulder, CO (United States); NOAA Physical Sciences Division, Boulder, CO

Publication Date:

Fri May 10 00:00:00 EDT 2019

Research Org.:

Univ. of Colorado, Boulder, CO (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:

USDOE Office of Science (SC); National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA); National Science Foundation (NSF); Research Council of Norway

OSTI Identifier:

1613040

Grant/Contract Number:  

SC0018985; AGS 1807199; CBET-1351411; 1539070; AGS 1520825; AGS 1665456; AGS 1632829

Resource Type:

Accepted Manuscript

Journal Name:

Sensors

Additional Journal Information:

Journal Volume: 19; Journal Issue: 9; Journal ID: ISSN 1424-8220

Publisher:

MDPI AG

Country of Publication:

United States

Language:

English

Subject:

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION; chemistry; engineering; instruments & instrumentation; sUAS; unmanned aircraft systems; unmanned aerial vehicles; UAV; sensor intercomparison; atmospheric measurements