innovative Drone Technology Enhances Hurricane Research
In a groundbreaking initiative during Hurricane Ernesto, NOAA collaborated with Black Swift Technologies to deploy four Black Swift S0™ drones directly into the storm’s eye, setting new benchmarks for data collection and forecasting accuracy.
Revolutionizing Data Collection in Storms
Small uncrewed aerial systems (sUAS), such as the Black Swift S0, are transforming the way scientists gather critical data from areas of storms that were previously unreachable.
one of the primary obstacles in hurricane research is the difficulty in studying the storm’s inner workings. The moast informative areas within a hurricane are frequently enough perilous to access, creating a unique possibility for researchers to leverage advanced technology to penetrate these perilous zones.
Advancement and Capabilities of the Black Swift S0
The S0 drone was engineered to withstand the harsh conditions of tropical cyclones, developed by AOML with support from NOAA’s Uncrewed Systems Operations Center, in partnership with black Swift Technologies, the University of Miami Cooperative Institute of Marine & Atmospheric Studies, and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
These sUAS are capable of operating in maritime environments at both low and medium altitudes, collecting atmospheric data from as low as 20 feet to heights of 15,000 feet above sea level.
Weighing in at just 2.6 pounds, the S0 is recognized as the lightest sUAS platform to successfully gather data from a tropical cyclone. It is equipped with advanced instruments that measure atmospheric pressure, temperature, humidity, and three-dimensional wind profiles.
Historic Flights into Hurricane Ernesto
During the mission, four Black Swift S0 drones were launched from the NOAA P-3 hurricane hunter aircraft into Hurricane Ernesto, sampling the eye, eyewall, and the storm’s lowest layers just above the ocean. Over the course of these flights, the drones collected approximately 200 minutes of data, with the longest single flight lasting 77 minutes.
this mission established a new record in hurricane research, with the S0 achieving a maximum sustained dialog range of 143 nautical miles between the NOAA P-3 and the sUAS.
As the drone circled the eye of the storm, it recorded wind gusts reaching 121 knots at an altitude of 200 feet, providing meteorologists with invaluable data from previously inaccessible areas of the hurricane.
Real-Time Data Transmission and Future implications
As the drone navigated the storm, it transmitted data back to researchers aboard the aircraft and to forecasters on the ground. The real-time information collected by the S0 during its flights into Hurricane Ernesto enabled meteorologists at the National Hurricane Center to refine their forecasts and warnings.
By exploring the most hazardous and previously unreachable areas of a storm, NOAA emphasizes that the Black Swift S0 is paving the way for innovative technologies to enhance hurricane research, modeling, and forecasting.
Collaboration and Future Prospects
The success of these missions not only sets new records but also underscores the critical importance of collaboration and the potential of emerging technologies to transform our understanding of hurricanes.
Jack Elston, CEO and Founder of Black swift Technologies, remarked, “Our goal at Black Swift is to tackle some of the most challenging issues to broaden the application of UAS. Collaborating with Dr. Cione, the P-3 team, and NOAA to create and deploy a platform that can collect previously inaccessible data has been remarkable.”
Joe Cione, Lead Meteorologist for Emerging technologies at NOAA’s Atlantic Oceanographic & Meteorological Laboratory, added, “I am extremely proud of our team’s collaborative effort that has taken years to bring to fruition. Our next step is to make these unique observations a routine part of our operations in many more storms in the years ahead.”
