Collaborative Research: SGER--Unmanned Aircraft System for In-Situ Sensing Along Atmospheric Airmass Boundaries

利用双多普勒雷达和小型无人机系统（UAS）进行现场采样，对大气气团边界进行现场探测实验。主要目的是开发一种技术，将气象雷达数据与无人机遥测技术融合，使小型无人驾驶飞机（UA）导航到气象雷达识别和跟踪的感兴趣区域。除了技术挑战之外，该试验还必须解决联邦航空管理局将小型无人机系统整合到国家空域系统（NAS）的规定。智力优势：这项研究活动将展示导航一个带有大气传感器包的小型UA进入瞬态中尺度大气现象的能力。来自科罗拉多州立大学nsf赞助的CHILL和Pawnee雷达的数据将与UAS遥测技术融合，将UA导航到预先存在的大气气团边界，在那里收集原位数据，同时UA由其移动地面站控制。这项工作利用了科罗拉多大学无人驾驶车辆研究与工程中心（RECUV）开发的技术和经验。内布拉斯加州大学林肯分校的大气科学家将指导导航并解读数据。更广泛的影响：该研究项目有可能为中尺度动态气象学增加一个有价值的数据采集工具，并有可能提供一种仪器，可以在难以采样的强对流风暴区域提供热力学数据。这可能会带来更好的风暴预报。

A field experiment will be conducted to probe an atmospheric airmass boundary with simultaneous dual-Doppler radars and in-situ sampling with a small Unmanned Vehicle System (UAS). The primary purpose is to develop techniques that will allow the fusing of weather radar data with UAS telemetry to navigate a small unmanned aircraft (UA) to a region of interest that is identified and tracked with weather radar. In addition to the technical challenges, the experiment must also address the evolving Federal Aviation Administration regulations to integrate small UAS into the National Airspace System (NAS). Intellectual Merit: This research activity will demonstrate the ability to navigate a small UA with an atmospheric sensor package into a transient mesoscale atmospheric phenomenon. Data from Colorado State University's NSF-sponsored CHILL and Pawnee radars will be fused with UAS telemetry to navigate the UA to a pre-existing atmospheric airmass boundary where in-situ data will be collected while the UA is controlled from its mobile ground station. This effort leverages technologies and experience developed at the University of Colorado's Research and Engineering Center for Unmanned Vehicles (RECUV). Atmospheric scientists from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln will direct the navigation and interpret the data. Broader Impact: The research program has the potential to add a valuable data acquisition tool for mesoscale dynamic meteorology and potentially provide an instrument that can provide thermodynamic data in regions of severe convective storms that have been difficult to sample. This potentially could lead to better storm forecasts.