For the first time during an operational hurricane mission, NOAA and Black Swift Technologies demonstrated simultaneous dual-altitude drone flight capability, the latest advancement in the use of small uncrewed aircraft systems (sUAS) to collect critical atmospheric data in severe storms. The novel feat, coined Mobile Ocean Towers, enables scientists to fly two Black Swift S0 sUAS […]
Uncrewed systems are a rapidly emerging tool for NOAA in hurricane research and forecasting as they allow researchers to gather data from otherwise inaccessible regions of the storm. While some uncrewed system deployments in hurricanes have already been shown to improve hurricane intensity forecasts, others still require further research and development. Prior to hurricane season, NOAA tests new and updated emerging technologies in non-storm environments, or “clear air,” to consider incorporating them into the hurricane reconnaissance program.
From July 14-16, NOAA’s Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML) and the University of Reading held the inaugural Joint US-UK Symposium on Emerging Technologies for High Impact Weather in Reading, UK. Through this collaboration, AOML sought to bring together subject matter experts from the government, academia, and industry on both sides of the Atlantic.
