Drones could help weather forecasting

Okhotsk in February 2022, with the goal of determining if drones could be a cost-effective method of collecting data in remote locations. The flight was successful and the results were published in the Drones journal.

There is a demand for more accurate weather forecasts, and meteorological drones can provide a lot of data for this purpose. However, these specialized drones can be expensive to operate, leading researchers to explore the use of cheaper drones as an alternative.

Using drones for meteorological purposes can provide a cost-effective way to collect data, according to the EOS Earth science news portal.

The wind sensor on the drone used in the study was designed to measure wind speed using a heated wire sensor. As the wind blows, it cools the sensor, and the change in temperature is used to calculate the wind speed. However, the airflow caused by the drone’s propellers can also affect the sensor’s temperature, so the researchers had to first measure the effect of the propellers in a controlled environment before they could use the sensor to get accurate wind measurement data from the drone during flight.

The Japanese researchers are continuing to test and refine their drone to make it more widely accessible to those who may not be able to afford specialized meteorological drones. The next step in its development is to improve the transmission of the collected data to forecast databases in real-time.

This drone has the potential to allow people to collect data in hard-to-reach locations at a lower cost.

Source: eos.org