First drone launched into the eye of a hurricane

Researchers from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have just carried out a groundbreaking, landmark mission by launching drones deep into the center of a hurricane to collect meteorological data on how the storm forms and strengthens.

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The P-3 Hurricane Hunter used in the study. (Source: mynews13.com)

NOAA's Hurricane Field Program team conducted a research mission during Hurricane Tammy this past October using a Hurricane Hunter P-3 "Hurricane Hunter."

From this aircraft, they launch drones into the eye of the storm to collect data sets.

In addition to being the first launch of Black Swift Technologies' S0 drone into the eye of a hurricane, this research also featured the first successful combination of the following technologies:

Anduril’s Altius 600: A low-flying drone launched from a Hurricane Hunter aircraft and capable of operating at low and medium altitudes over the ocean. It collects data from the outer layers of a storm to detect changes in the overall structure of the storm. While flying into Hurricane Tammy, the drone transmitted data from 900 feet above sea level.

Saildrone: an unmanned vehicle powered by wind and solar energy that collects data close to the ocean surface. These observations improve our understanding of tropical cyclone intensity variability.

Thermometers: small probes dropped from hurricane hunter aircraft to measure ocean temperature at depth. They can collect ocean temperature data at depths of 350 meters.

Dropsondes: small devices that collect information on atmospheric pressure, temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction as they descend into the atmosphere. They include a special probe equipped with an infrared sensor capable of measuring sea surface temperature.

Dozens of scientists, crew members and private industry partners planned and executed this complex study to collect critical data on how storms form in the atmosphere and at sea.

“Our team coordinated the launch of the drones, allowing us to collect data for analysis and improve our understanding of the interaction between the atmosphere and the ocean,” said Joe Cione, NOAA chief meteorologist.

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