Washington Post article "Drone, Sensors May Open Path Into E

[clfenwi]

A two story in one article discussing flying drones into storms as well as research investigating a possible relationship between lightning frequency and storm intensification:

Drone, Sensors May Open Path Into Eye of Storm

The 2007 hurricane season has been relatively quiet, but whenever the next big cyclone spirals into life in the open ocean and takes aim at the U.S. coast, Joseph Cione will be ready to plunge into it.

Not literally, of course. Cione, a hurricane researcher with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, is the lead scientist on a government project that aims to send an unmanned aerial drone with advanced weather-watching equipment deep into a hurricane for the first time, and at the earliest opportunity.

The goal is to fly the 28-pound craft as low as 500 feet, gathering detailed observations of the high-wind, low-altitude eye-wall regions that are too dangerous for manned hurricane hunter airplanes to probe. By learning more about the lowest layers of the storm, scientists hope to better understand the energy transfer from the ocean to the atmosphere that fuels hurricanes and causes them to intensify and grow more deadly...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/07/AR2007100700971.html

[RL3AO]

Would a 28 pound drone even survive long enough at 500 feet to be usefull?

[vbhoutex]

Would a 28 pound drone even survive long enough at 500 feet to be usefull?

That is the first question I have. I don't know how it could survive even strong TS winds.

[brunota2003]

Would a 28 pound drone even survive long enough at 500 feet to be usefull?

That is the first question I have. I don't know how it could survive even strong TS winds.

I dont think the winds hitting it would bother it, like a regular aircraft. However, those updrafts and downdrafts that move at 1000's of feet per second that it'll be flying through at a mere "500" feet? Expect it to get up close and personal with the sea surface below, including exploration trips in the water. Question is, did they water proof it so that if it survives the hurricane, it can be picked up afterwords and reused? If they got a GPS locator on it and it floats/is waterproof, then they just might have something interesting on their hands, provided the waves dont smash it up.

[eaglegirl]

http://www.aerosonde.com/drawarticle/142

http://www.defensetech.org/archives/001821.html


Below is my favorite "drone", but it can't go into hurricanes :

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5349770802105160028&q=bigdog+robot

http://www.military.com/features/0,15240,103062,00.html

[Cryomaniac]

I dont think the winds hitting it would bother it, like a regular aircraft. However, those updrafts and downdrafts that move at 1000's of feet per second that it'll be flying through at a mere "500" feet? Expect it to get up close and personal with the sea surface below, including exploration trips in the water. Question is, did they water proof it so that if it survives the hurricane, it can be picked up afterwords and reused? If they got a GPS locator on it and it floats/is waterproof, then they just might have something interesting on their hands, provided the waves dont smash it up.

Waterproofing would make a lot of sense.

[x-y-no]

I have a hard time believing that anything light enough to fly could survive crashing into the sea in a major hurricane, let alone the subsequent hours of pounding by waves.

To my mind the only viable strategy is to build a cheap enough drone that you don't mind losing a fair number of them.

[M_0331]

Actually the small size is an positive. It would have instant computer response. It would be functionally the same as the radar control air to air missle(AIM-7) presentally being used by our jet fighters. It would be able to survive 20 G turns, positive or negative vertical or horizontal movement instantaneously. Take for example the 40' (700 lb.) Russian SA-2(flying telephone pole): If you see it coming at you, you can evade it by turning into it and as it gets within ~1000 feet turn sharply 90 degrees and the missle can not turn fast enough to get within lethal range. The new SA-7 thru SA-10(50 to 100 lb.) would take you out with their new computer controls due to the quantum leap in computer power and size. All this is an epistle of reading or watching too many Vietnam air combat events or present day technology. Do not hold me precisely to exact number/name such as SA-10 but the general intent is sound.