Lightweight Autonomous Dropwindsonde System for Unmanned Aircraft

气象学和气候研究中的许多悬而未决的问题将极大地受益于对大气进行廉价的现场测量，特别是在地球上的偏远地区，例如在海洋上，那里的常规测量系统很少或根本不存在。美国国家大气研究中心(NCAR)开发了一系列轻型数字落差探测仪，极光飞行科学公司(Aurora Flight Science Corporation)开发了一种名为英仙座(Perseus)的低成本无人科研飞机(USRA)。该SBIR项目的目标是将数字落差探测仪与USRA相结合，以生产一种提供现场大气测量的灵活、低成本的系统。在第一阶段，主要调查人员将为NCAR投放探测仪制造一个分配器，并将其安装在极光英仙座概念验证飞机上。分配器的概念将作为1991年初珀尔修斯工程飞行测试的一部分进行测试。这次演示的接收器和数据处理单元将以地面为基础。在第二阶段，将开发一个专用的机载数据收集和处理系统。

Many outstanding problems in meteorology and climate research would benefit greatly from the availability of inexpensive in-situ measurements of the atmosphere, particularly in remote regions of the globe such as over the oceans where conventional measurement systems are few or non-existent. The National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) has developed a family of lightweight digital dropwindsondes, and Aurora Flight Sciences Corporation has developed a low-cost Unmanned Scientific Research Aircraft (USRA) called Perseus. The goal of this SBIR project is to combine the digital dropwindsonde with the with the USRA to produce a flexible, low-cost system for providing in-situ atmospheric measurements. During Phase I, the principal investigators will fabricate a dispenser for the NCAR dropwindsondes and install it on the Aurora Perseus proof-of- concept aircraft. The dispenser concept will be tested as part of Perseus' engineering flight tests in early 1991. The receiver and data processing unit for this demonstration will be ground based. During Phase II, a dedicated airborne data collection and processing system will be developed.