Can drones aid in weather forecasting? NOAA is finding out

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is deploying advanced weather drones to gather upper air observations and determine their usefulness in weather forecasting.

NOAA’s National Weather Service (NWS) has teamed up with Grand Sky Airfield Operations to explore the potential of drones in enhancing weather forecasting capabilities. This partnership, forged through a two-year Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA), aims to harness the unique data-gathering abilities of high-altitude drones to improve the accuracy and reliability of weather predictions.

The research will be conducted at the GrandSKY Flight Operations Center in Grand Forks, North Dakota, where drones will collect atmospheric data up to 16,900 feet.

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Curtis Marshall, Ph.D., lead for the commercial data program at NWS, highlighted the significance of this initiative, stating, “Additional observations in the atmospheric boundary layer, at many vertical points above Earth’s surface, are key to improving the skill of National Weather Service forecasts and warnings. We are exploring commercial sources to improve our observing systems footprint and through this partnership, we hope to leverage a new way to gather the observations we need.”

GrandSKY will deploy Meteomatics Meteodrones, advanced drones designed for weather observation (pictured above). These drones will gather real-time high-altitude atmospheric data, including temperature, pressure, humidity, wind conditions, and icing detection.

Unlike traditional weather balloons equipped with radiosonde probes, Meteodrones offer a modern, efficient alternative for monitoring the lower and medium atmospheric regions. Their ability to be rapidly launched and recovered ensures a steady stream of crucial weather data.

“As the first large-scale commercial UAS test park in the nation, we are committed to providing our aircrews with the most accurate weather information possible,” said Tom Swoyer, president of GrandSKY. “We are excited to expand our partnerships to continue researching how UAS-enabled weather collection tools can contribute to refined weather awareness across the National Airspace Systems.”

Elizabeth Wilson, director of weather programs at Synoptic, also expressed enthusiasm for the project, noting that Synoptic will manage the primary data repository. “Synoptic will be storing and delivering these high-quality, low-latency data to the National Weather Service in near real-time, allowing for a more effective and centralized process for data validation. We’re looking forward to the outcomes and are excited to be at the forefront of these efforts.”

Martin Fengler, CEO and founder of Meteomatics, added, “Meteodrones significantly enhance the accuracy of weather forecasts by filling critical observation gaps in the lower and mid-atmospheric boundary layer, offering precise, high-resolution data that revolutionizes our ability to predict severe local weather phenomena.”

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