SGER: Low-Cost Autonomous Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (AUAV) Platform and Instrument Package for the Global Albedo Project

这个概念验证项目涉及设计，建造和测试原型自主无人机（AUAV）。 该合同（第一阶段）用于建造和测试AUAV原型。 原型将有5公斤的有效载荷能力，最大射程约为200公里。 如果这一原型成功，将通过单独的赠款提案为第二阶段AUAV寻求资金。 第二阶段AUAV的航程为3-4千公里，有效载荷能力约为10公斤，如果成功，该项目将产生更广泛的惠益，包括一个新的相对便宜、坚固的观测平台和用于测量辐射（CONDO）和云及气溶胶特性的轻型微型仪器，供大气/气候研究界使用。 关于教育影响，学生/博士后实践活动将为工程和大气仪器科学家提供极好的交叉培训机会。 此外，有待开发的观测平台有可能供地球科学领域的广大研究人员使用，包括用于海洋和陆地表面监测。

This proof-of-concept project involves designing, building and testing a prototype autonomous unmanned aerial vehicle (AUAV). This award (phase 1) is for building and testing the prototype AUAV. The prototype will have a 5 kg payload capacity and a maximum range of about 200 km. If this prototype is successful, funds will be sought for a phase II AUAV to be supported through a separate grant proposal. The phase II AUAV will have a range of 3-4 thousand km and a payload capacity of about 10 kg.Should it succeed, the broader benefits that will result from this project include a new relatively inexpensive, robust observing platform and light weight miniaturized instruments for measuring radiation (albedo) and cloud and aerosol properties that will be available to the atmospheric/climate research communities. Regarding educational impacts, hands-on student/postdoctoral activities will provide excellent cross-training opportunities between engineering and atmospheric instrument scientists. In addition, the observing platform to be developed has potential for use by a broad array of researchers in the geosciences, including for ocean and land surface monitoring.