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NOAA Deploys Black Swift Drones to Monitor Hurricane Ernesto

NOAA and Black Swift Technologies successfully deployed four Black Swift S0 drones into the heart of Hurricane Ernesto, setting new records in hurricane data collection and enhancing forecast accuracy By William Mackenzie / 23 Aug 2024
NOAA Deploys Black Swift Drones to Monitor Hurricane Ernesto
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During Hurricane Ernesto, NOAA and Black Swift Technologies deployed four Black Swift S0™ drones into the eye of the storm, breaking records and improving forecasts. 

Small uncrewed aircraft systems (sUAS), like the Black Swift S0 drones, are giving scientists the opportunity to gather data from historically inaccessible regions of a storm.

One of the largest challenges in hurricane research is studying the inner dynamics of a storm. The regions within the hurricane that provide the most valuable data are often the most inaccessible and dangerous to reach, creating an opportunity for researchers to utilize emerging technology to enter the storm. 

The S0 was developed as an instrument capable of sustaining tropical cyclone conditions by AOML, with support from NOAA’s Uncrewed Systems Operations Center, and in collaboration with Black Swift Technologies, the University of Miami Cooperative Institute of Marine & Atmospheric Studies, and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. 

These sUAS can operate in low- and medium-altitude maritime environments, conducting atmospheric profiles as low as 20 ft and up to 15,000 ft above sea level. 

At 2.6 lbs, the S0 is reportedly the lightest sUAS platform ever used to successfully sample a tropical cyclone. It features onboard instruments that are capable of measuring atmospheric pressure, temperature, moisture, and 3-dimensional wind profiles.

Hurricane Research with the Black Swift S0

Four Black Swift S0 drones were successfully launched from the NOAA P-3 hurricane hunter aircraft into Hurricane Ernesto, sampling the eye, eyewall, and the storm’s lowest layers just above the ocean surface. Across all four flights, the Black Swift gathered about 200 minutes of data, with the longest flight reaching a total time of 77 minutes. 

The flights into Hurricane Ernesto set a new record in hurricane research. The S0 reportedly now holds the record for maximum sustained communications range between a NOAA P-3 and a sUAS of 143 nautical miles. 

As the Black Swift orbited the eye, it measured gusts as strong as 121 kts at 200 ft, providing meteorologists with important data from the inaccessible regions of the hurricane.

Hurricane Wind Analysis Data Plot shows the track of the P-3 (red), the Saildrone (light blue) and the Black Swift (dark blue) and the associated wind speeds measured by each.

As the drone orbited the eye, data was transmitted back to researchers on the plane, and forecasters on the ground. The S0’s flights into Hurricane Ernesto were an opportunity for meteorologists at the National Hurricane Center to use the real-time data collected by the drone to improve their forecasts and warnings. 

By venturing into the most dangerous and previously inaccessible regions of a storm, the NOAA asserts that the Black Swift S0 is opening the door for emerging technology to improve hurricane research, modeling, and forecasting. 

The success of these missions not only sets new records but also highlights the profound importance of collaboration and the potential of emerging technologies to revolutionize our understanding of hurricanes. 

Jack Elston, CEO and Founder of Black Swift Technologies, stated, “Black Swift strives to solve some of the most difficult problems required to expand the use of UAS.  It’s been amazing working with Dr. Cione, the P-3 team, and NOAA to build and deploy a platform that can gather data previously unavailable to forecasts from a critical part of the storm.” 

Joe Cione, Lead Meteorologist for Emerging Technologies at NOAA’s Atlantic Oceanographic & Meteorological Laboratory, commented, “I am incredibly proud of our Team’s multi-institutional effort that has taken years to realize. Our focus now will be to make these unique observations routine and available in many more storms over the coming years.” 

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Posted by William Mackenzie Connect & Contact