Drones for Weather Forecasting
Drones or Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), can now be used for aerial inspection and surveillance, but can they also save lives? Drones are better able to predict storm formations than traditional methods, and that ability can be a saviour when severe weather conditions are predicted. Drones are capable of playing an integral role in forecasting and relaying the most accurate information to scientists and the public. Meanwhile, the steady improvement of drones will increase the amount of weather data they can collect. Hence, they are set to be the weather forecasters of the future.
Drones are being used increasingly to gauge whether in real-time and in places not monitored in the past. This goes way past storm watching and can help in predicting severe weather and changes in the atmosphere in areas that ground-based equipment cannot reach.
How can meteorologists use drones to gather weather data?
In the past, people have made use of thermometer equipped kits in Europe that helped to measure data related to pressure, temperature and humidity. In the year of 1930 weather balloons were introduced, which fulfilled pretty much the same purpose.
The first weather satellite was launched in 1960 and was called US TIROS 1. Since then, over the years, many satellites have been launched and they have relayed satellite imagery, sensor data and others to ground-based stations and manned data collection flights.
In 1991 the first unmanned aircraft was developed by NASA. The Perseus unmanned aircraft became the first weather drone and was designed to fly 60,000 feet, collecting data regarding ozone depletion and weather. Although the unmanned aircraft helped in gathering useful data, the service was retired in 2003.
Over the past 10 years, meteorologists have renewed their interests to use drones and gather real-time weather data. Although radiosonde balloons still play an important role when it comes to gathering weather data, using drones is much more effective.
The unmanned aircraft vehicle is expected to weigh around 25kg(approximate) and costs between $10,000 to $100,000. This depends on the type of technology the drones are built with. The meteorological researchers are planning to include sensors in the meteorological drones, which measure temperature, humidity, and pressure. This will be possible as the drone flies through different altitudes.
The drones are loaded with various sensors. They are then flown into the sky and the sensors are dropped to gather data. These sensors also called Dropsondes are designed with small parachutes. They collect data as they fall. As a result, they are suitable for studying the vertical profile of a storm.
How can drones be used to predict the weather?
The drone was used to drop sensors into the storm allowing meteorologists to gather data for example temperature, humidity, wind speed, pressure, and direction.
It was able to transmit the data back to the ground weather station in real-time allowing weather scientists not only to predict the direction of the storm but wind speed and temperature.
Traditional weather collection systems are becoming obsolete especially when it comes to tracking and predicting the occurrence of storms. Hence drones are the best and the most efficient alternatives to traditional methodologies when it comes to weather forecasts.
-Valluri Abhishek
Flight Systems domain
