Atmospheric Sampling with UAS for Storm Research

Alyssa Avery, Nick Foster, and Dr. Jamey Jacob

Oklahoma State University

ISARRA 2016 May 24, 2016 SUAS In Boundary Layer

• Lowest part of the atmosphere (boundary layer) is directly influenced by terrain and diurnal cycle; includes heat transfer, pollution dispersion and advection, turbulence, agricultural, and urban meteorology • Difficult to measure with radar, balloons, and towers

Accessible using SUAS System Concepts

Multi-Rotors Rockets

Fixed Wing

Targeted Profiles Routine Profiling High altitude Limited area Rapid response Slow response Event Patrol Glidersondes Swarms Wide area Faster response Profiling Prototypes

• GPS/IMU • Pressure, Temp., • aloft (direction, magnitude) • Turbulence Vertical Profiling

• Development of automated profiling capabilities – short mission duration results in hot-swapping of platforms

Bailey Autopilot Development A Multi-platform Plug and Adapt Autopilot System

• Adaptive control algorithm to enable a “plug and play” type autopilot to minimize tuning and maximize stability – Bayesian non- parametric approach • Organically accommodate advances in software, hardware, and communication system Glidersonde Concept

Measurements • Velocity • Pressure • Relative Humidity • • Speed • Wind Direction

*sample Windsonde data

Performance Folding Tail • Altitude : 5000 ft (1500 m) • Cruise Speed : 39 kias (20 m/s) • Stall Speed : 19 kias (9.8 m/s) • Endurance : 12 min

Glider Swing Wing • Weight : 0.5 lb (0.23 kg) Atmospheric Sensor • Length : 19.5in (50 cm) • Width : 3 in (7.6 cm) • Span : 24 in (61 cm) • Wing Area : 66 in2 (440 sq. cm) GPS Antenna Rocket Deployment Concept

Rocketsonde & Glider CO2 and piston assembly Gliders deploy with CO2 & Glider wing deploys and assembly launch to alt. discharge at max altitude piston and emerge from Windsonde probe emerges, rocket airframe gliders return to launch MARIA Mesocyclone Analysis Research Investigation Aircraft Supercell average size and Mission Scenarios structure 1. -Initiate flight hours prior to storm formation -Survey stationary grid prescribed by radar prediction, specifically around LCL - Land upon tornado formation of supercell dissipation

1. - Initiate flight hours prior to storm formation - Survey mobile boundary layer - Follow supercell or tornado outside downdraft sections - Land upon tornado or supercell dissipation

1. -Initiate flight upon supercell formation - Circle storm outside downdraft sections surveying at variable altitudes - Continue to survey after storm ends - Land when necessary

Range 500 miles (800 km) : Allows for approx. 6 laps around Mission Requirements

Aim: maximize the amount of information that can be gathered by a storm chasing • System should fit in a van or truck and be able to deploy without a runway, • The aircraft should fly from six to eight hours to gather a relatively well populated meteorological grid from the start of storm formation • The vehicle should able to carry both meteorological sensors and EO/IR cameras. • Deployable sensor packages • Boom mountable sensors out of flow CONOPS Aircraft Layout

GTOW: 35 lb (15 kg) Wing Area: 6.125 sqft (0.57 m^2) Hot wire, pitot, or 5 hole probe

Autopilot Dropsondes TAMDAR IR Camer

Fuel Onboard Sensors, Hot Wire

• Hot wire sensors • Measures turbulence with high resolution • Inexpensive options currently being explored • Testing at OSU’s wind tunnel • Cylinder inserted into steady flow

Modern Device Wind Sensor Hot-wire Anemometer Onboard Sensors, TAMDAR

• Panasonic’s TAMDAR Edge • Small version UAS version of Panasonic’s TAMDAR flown on many commercial aircraft • Collects high resolution temperature, pressure, winds aloft, humidity, icing, and turbulence data • All information used as part of a larger set of data for prediction and modeling • Forecasting model: Real Time Four Dimensional Data Assimilation • Requires clean flow out of prop TAMDAR wash Onboard Sensors, Multi-hole Probe

• Manufactured five hole probe • Air speed, heading, alpha, beta • Currently being developed at OSU • 3D printed to reduce cost and improve robustness • Testing • Calibration at AoA ±45 in wind tunnel • Further wind tunnel testing and aircraft integrated required Onboard Sensors, IR Camera

• IR Camera, DRS long wave IR camera • Requires gimbal and IR transparent screen • Thermal imaging • Testing • IR Cameras have been used in UAS at OSU for precision agriculture • Characterized using MATLAB software • Provides distortion focal length, field of view, etc. Dropsondes

• Sensor packages will consist of pressure, temperature, humidity, wind sensor, and GPS • Sensors are small inexpensive breakout boards that will send data through an Arduino board • Data will be recorded onboard and send a radio signal to ground station Deployment

• Dropsondes are stored in the belly of the aircraft • Rotating dispenser will drop them one at a time • Parachute will be pulled from the dropsonde and allow the sensor package to be carried by weather formations Summary

• AV Sensors • TAMDAR Edge • Multi-hole Probe • Pitot Probe • Wind Sensor/Hot Wire COSTS • IR Camera TAMDAR Gift • Dropsonde Sensors Multi-hole Probe In-house IR Camera $2200 • Barometric Pressure/Temperature Wind Sensor $24 Sensor Dropsonde $110 • Humidity/Temperature Sensor • Wind Sensor • GPS Flight Tests

• Flight tests gathered data with, Pitot, IMU, and GPS • Test bed aircraft uses electric engines and landing gear • Flights done at OSU’s flight field 05.17.2016 Cloudmap Flight Campaign

• June 27- July 1 • OSU will be gathering data with – MARIA – Rocket launched glidersonde – Quadcopter swarms – Ground based sensors • Testing Locations – OSU Flight Field – Marina Site – ARM Site Future Work

Immediate Broad • Complete fully • Optimize flight campaigns operational MARIA to collect the most • Complete sensor pertinent data integration on MARIA test – Define most usual metrics for airframe and operational successful data collection airframe (data volume, length of time, magnitude of distance, etc.) • Rocket launched glidersonde system testing Aircraft Specifications

40000

Performance Predictions and 35000 Airframe Characteristics, 30000 Operational System 25000

Stall speed 36 kts (67 kph) 20000

Maximum Speed 110kts (203 kph) Altitude, ft 15000 Cruise Speed 55 kts (102 kph) Endurance 8 hrs. 10000

Service Ceiling 30,000 ft. (9100 m) 5000 Weight 35 lbs. (15 kg) 0 Span 7 ft. (2.1m) 0 255075100125150175 Velocity, knots Vstall Vmax Reciprocating Ceiling Reciprocating Ceiling Electric Vmax Electric