The CopterSonde: an insight into the development of a smart unmanned aircraft system for atmospheric boundary layer research

Abstract. The CopterSonde is an unmanned aircraft system (UAS) developed in house by a team of engineers and meteorologists at the University of Oklahoma. The CopterSonde is an ambitious attempt by the Center for Autonomous Sensing and Sampling to address the challenge of filling the observational gap present in the lower atmosphere among the currently used meteorological instruments such as towers and radiosondes. The CopterSonde is a unique and highly flexible platform for in situ atmospheric boundary layer measurements with high spatial and temporal resolution, suitable for meteorological applications and research. Custom autopilot algorithms and hardware features were developed as solutions to problems identified throughout several field experiments carried out since 2017. In these field experiments, the CopterSonde has been proven capable of safely operating at wind speeds up to 22 m s−1, flying at 3050 m above mean sea level, and operating in extreme temperatures: nearly −20 ∘C in Finland and 40 ∘C in Oklahoma, United States. Leveraging the open-source ArduPilot autopilot code has allowed for seamless integration of custom functions and protocols for the acquisition, storage, and distribution of atmospheric data alongside the flight control data. This led to the development of features such as the “wind vane mode” algorithm, which commands the CopterSonde to always face into the wind. It also inspired the design of an asymmetric airframe for the CopterSonde, which is shown to provide more suitable locations for weather sensor placement, in addition to allowing for improvements in the overall aerodynamic characteristics of the CopterSonde. Moreover, it has also allowed the team to design and create a modular shell where the sensor package is attached and which can run independently of the CopterSonde's main body. The CopterSonde is on the trend towards becoming a smart UAS tool with a wide possibility of creating new adaptive and optimized atmospheric sampling strategies.

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The CopterSonde: An Insight into the Development of a Smart UAS for Atmospheric Boundary Layer Research

10.5194/amt-2019-421 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Antonio R. Segales ◽

Brian R. Greene ◽

Tyler M. Bell ◽

William Doyle ◽

Joshua J. Martin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Boundary Layer ◽

Atmospheric Boundary Layer ◽

Flight Control ◽

Field Experiments ◽

Aerodynamic Characteristics ◽

Lower Atmosphere ◽

Main Body ◽

Seamless Integration ◽

Wind Speeds ◽

Sensor Package

Abstract. The CopterSonde is an uncrewed aircraft system developed in-house by a team of engineers and meteorologists at the University of Oklahoma. The CopterSonde is an ambitious attempt by the Center for Autonomous Sensing and Sampling to address the challenge of filling the observational gap present in the lower atmosphere among the currently used meteorological instruments such as towers and radiosondes. The CopterSonde is a unique and highly flexible platform for in situ atmospheric boundary layer measurements with high spatial and temporal resolution, suitable for meteorological applications and research. Custom autopilot algorithms and hardware features were developed as solutions to problems identified throughout several field experiments carried out since 2017. In these field experiments, the CopterSonde has been proved capable of safely operating at wind speeds up to 22 m s-1, flying at 3050 m above mean sea level, and operating in extreme temperatures: nearly −20 °C in Finland and 40 °C in Oklahoma, United States. Leveraging the open-source ArduPilot autopilot code has allowed for seamless integration of custom functions and protocols for the acquisition, storage, and distribution of atmospheric data along with the flight control data. This led to the creation of features such as the "wind vane mode" algorithm which commands the CopterSonde to always face into the wind. It also allowed for the design of an asymmetric airframe for the CopterSonde, which is shown to have more convenient locations for weather sensor placement, in addition to allowing for improvements in the overall aerodynamic characteristics of the CopterSonde. Moreover, it has also allowed the team to design and create a modular shell where the sensor package is attached and which can run independently of the CopterSonde's main body. The CopterSonde is on the trend towards a smart UAS tool with a wide possibility of creating new adaptive and optimized atmospheric sampling strategies.

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High-Resolution Estimation and Spatial Interpolation of Temperature Structure in the Atmospheric Boundary Layer Using a Small Unmanned Aircraft System

Boundary-Layer Meteorology ◽

10.1007/s10546-020-00512-1 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 175 (3) ◽

pp. 397-416

Author(s):

Benjamin L. Hemingway ◽

Amy E. Frazier ◽

Brian R. Elbing ◽

Jamey D. Jacob

Keyword(s):

Boundary Layer ◽

High Resolution ◽

Atmospheric Boundary Layer ◽

Spatial Interpolation ◽

Unmanned Aircraft ◽

Temperature Structure ◽

Unmanned Aircraft System ◽

Aircraft System ◽

Resolution Estimation

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Review Lampert et al. “Studying boundary layer methane isotopy and vertical mixing processes at a rewetted peatland site by unmanned aircraft system”

10.5194/amt-2019-111-rc2 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Anonymous

Keyword(s):

Boundary Layer ◽

Vertical Mixing ◽

Unmanned Aircraft ◽

Unmanned Aircraft System ◽

Mixing Processes ◽

Aircraft System

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Autopilot Abstraction and Standardization for Seamless Integration of Unmanned Aircraft System Applications

Journal of Aerospace Computing Information and Communication ◽

10.2514/1.52672 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 8 (7) ◽

pp. 197-223 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Pablo Royo ◽

Enric Pastor ◽

Cristina Barrado ◽

Eduard Santamaria ◽

Juan Lopez ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Unmanned Aircraft ◽

Unmanned Aircraft System ◽

Seamless Integration ◽

Aircraft System

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Moving towards a Network of Autonomous UAS Atmospheric Profiling Stations for Observations in the Earth’s Lower Atmosphere: The 3D Mesonet Concept

Sensors ◽

10.3390/s19122720 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 19 (12) ◽

pp. 2720 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Phillip B. Chilson ◽

Tyler M. Bell ◽

Keith A. Brewster ◽

Gustavo Britto Hupsel de Azevedo ◽

Frederick H. Carr ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Boundary Layer ◽

Atmospheric Boundary Layer ◽

Weather Forecasting ◽

Weather Conditions ◽

General Concept ◽

Unmanned Aircraft ◽

Lower Atmosphere ◽

Weather Forecasts ◽

Boundary Layer Processes ◽

Weather Observations

The deployment of small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) to collect routine in situ vertical profiles of the thermodynamic and kinematic state of the atmosphere in conjunction with other weather observations could significantly improve weather forecasting skill and resolution. High-resolution vertical measurements of pressure, temperature, humidity, wind speed and wind direction are critical to the understanding of atmospheric boundary layer processes integral to air–surface (land, ocean and sea ice) exchanges of energy, momentum, and moisture; how these are affected by climate variability; and how they impact weather forecasts and air quality simulations. We explore the potential value of collecting coordinated atmospheric profiles at fixed surface observing sites at designated times using instrumented UAS. We refer to such a network of autonomous weather UAS designed for atmospheric profiling and capable of operating in most weather conditions as a 3D Mesonet. We outline some of the fundamental and high-impact science questions and sampling needs driving the development of the 3D Mesonet and offer an overview of the general concept of operations. Preliminary measurements from profiling UAS are presented and we discuss how measurements from an operational network could be realized to better characterize the atmospheric boundary layer, improve weather forecasts, and help to identify threats of severe weather.

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