Atmospheric Sampling with UAS for Storm Research

Alyssa Avery, Nick Foster, and Dr. Jamey Jacob

Oklahoma State University

ISARRA 2016May 24, 2016

SUAS In Boundary Layer Meteorology

• Lowest part of the atmosphere (boundary layer) is directly influenced by terrain and diurnal cycle; includes heat transfer, pollution dispersion and advection, turbulence, agricultural, and urban meteorology

• Difficult to measure with radar, balloons, and towers

Accessible using SUAS

System Concepts

Routine ProfilingLimited areaSlow responseSwarms

Event PatrolWide areaFaster responseDropsondes

Targeted ProfilesHigh altitudeRapid responseGlidersondes

Multi-Rotors

Fixed Wing

Rockets

Profiling Prototypes

• GPS/IMU• Pressure,

Temp., Humidity• Winds aloft

(direction, magnitude)

• Turbulence

Vertical Profiling

Bailey

• Development of automated profiling capabilities – short mission duration results in hot-swapping of platforms

Autopilot Development

• Adaptive control algorithm to enable a “plug and play” type autopilot to minimize tuning and maximize stability – Bayesian non-parametric approach

• Organically accommodate advances in software, hardware, and communication system

A Multi-platform Plug and Adapt Autopilot System

Glidersonde Concept

Atmospheric Sensor

Performance• Altitude : 5000 ft (1500 m)• Cruise Speed : 39 kias (20 m/s)• Stall Speed : 19 kias (9.8 m/s)• Endurance : 12 min

Glider• Weight : 0.5 lb (0.23 kg)• Length : 19.5in (50 cm)• Width : 3 in (7.6 cm)• Span : 24 in (61 cm)• Wing Area : 66 in2 (440 sq. cm)

Measurements• Velocity• Pressure• Relative Humidity• Temperature• Wind Speed• Wind Direction

GPS Antenna

Swing Wing

Folding Tail

*sample Windsonde data

Rocket Deployment ConceptCO2 and piston assemblydischarge at max altitude

Rocketsonde & Gliderassembly launch to alt.

Gliders deploy with CO2 & piston and emerge from rocket airframe

Glider wing deploys and Windsonde probe emerges,

gliders return to launch

MARIAMesocyclone Analysis Research Investigation Aircraft

Mission ScenariosSupercell average size and structure

1. -Initiate flight hours prior to storm formation-Survey stationary grid prescribed by radar prediction, specifically around LCL- Land upon tornado formation of supercell dissipation

1. - Initiate flight hours prior to storm formation- Survey mobile boundary layer- Follow supercell or tornado outside downdraft sections- Land upon tornado or supercell dissipation

1. -Initiate flight upon supercell formation- Circle storm outside downdraft sections surveying at variable altitudes- Continue to survey after storm ends- Land when necessary

Range 500 miles (800 km) : Allows for approx. 6 laps around

Mission Requirements

Aim: maximize the amount of information that can be gathered by a storm chasing• System should fit in a van or

truck and be able to deploy without a runway,

• The aircraft should fly from six to eight hours to gather a relatively well populated meteorological grid from the start of storm formation

• The vehicle should able to carry both meteorological sensors and EO/IR cameras.

• Deployable sensor packages• Boom mountable sensors out

of flow

CONOPS

Aircraft Layout

Fuel

Autopilot Dropsondes TAMDAR IR Camer

Hot wire, pitot, or 5 hole probe

GTOW: 35 lb (15 kg)Wing Area: 6.125 sqft (0.57 m^2)

Onboard Sensors, Hot Wire

• Hot wire sensors• Measures turbulence with high

resolution• Inexpensive options currently being

explored

• Testing at OSU’s wind tunnel• Cylinder inserted into steady flow

Modern Device Wind Sensor Hot-wire Anemometer

Onboard Sensors, TAMDAR

• Panasonic’s TAMDAR Edge• Small version UAS version of

Panasonic’s TAMDAR flown on many commercial aircraft

• Collects high resolution temperature, pressure, winds aloft, humidity, icing, and turbulence data

• All information used as part of a larger set of data for weather prediction and modeling

• Forecasting model: Real Time Four Dimensional Data Assimilation

• Requires clean flow out of prop wash

TAMDAR

Onboard Sensors, Multi-hole Probe

• Manufactured five hole probe• Air speed, heading, alpha, beta

• Currently being developed at OSU

• 3D printed to reduce cost and improve robustness

• Testing • Calibration at AoA ±45 in wind

tunnel

• Further wind tunnel testing and aircraft integrated required

Onboard Sensors, IR Camera

• IR Camera, DRS long wave IR camera• Requires gimbal and IR

transparent screen• Thermal imaging

• Testing• IR Cameras have been used in

UAS at OSU for precision agriculture

• Characterized using MATLAB software

• Provides distortion focal length, field of view, etc.

Dropsondes

• Sensor packages will consist of pressure, temperature, humidity, wind sensor, and GPS

• Sensors are small inexpensive breakout boards that will send data through an Arduino board

• Data will be recorded onboard and send a radio signal to ground station

Dropsonde Deployment

• Dropsondes are stored in the belly of the aircraft

• Rotating dispenser will drop them one at a time

• Parachute will be pulled from the dropsonde and allow the sensor package to be carried by weather formations

Summary

• AV Sensors• TAMDAR Edge• Multi-hole Probe• Pitot Probe• Wind Sensor/Hot Wire • IR Camera

• Dropsonde Sensors• Barometric

Pressure/Temperature Sensor

• Humidity/Temperature Sensor

• Wind Sensor• GPS

COSTSTAMDAR GiftMulti-hole Probe In-houseIR Camera $2200Wind Sensor $24Dropsonde $110

Flight Tests

• Flight tests gathered data with, Pitot, IMU, and GPS

• Test bed aircraftuses electric engines and landing gear

• Flights done at OSU’s flight field

05.17.2016

Cloudmap Flight Campaign

• June 27- July 1• OSU will be gathering data with

– MARIA

– Rocket launched glidersonde

– Quadcopter swarms

– Ground based sensors

• Testing Locations– OSU Flight Field

– Marina Site

– ARM Site

Future Work

Immediate • Complete fully

operational MARIA• Complete sensor

integration on MARIA test airframe and operational airframe

• Rocket launched glidersonde system testing

Broad

• Optimize flight campaigns to collect the most pertinent data – Define most usual metrics for

successful data collection (data volume, length of time, magnitude of distance, etc.)

Aircraft Specifications

Performance Predictions and Airframe Characteristics, Operational System

Stall speed 36 kts (67 kph)Maximum Speed 110kts (203 kph)

Cruise Speed 55 kts (102 kph)Endurance 8 hrs.

Service Ceiling 30,000 ft. (9100 m)Weight 35 lbs. (15 kg)

Span 7 ft. (2.1m) 0

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VstallVmax ReciprocatingCeiling ReciprocatingCeiling ElectricVmax Electric