Uncrewed Aircraft Systems like Black Swift Technologies’ SØ™ (BST) are enhancing tropical cyclone research by safely collecting critical high-resolution data within storms, enabling improved forecasting accuracy and enhanced understanding of these weather events.
Black Swift S0 UAS.
Tropical cyclones are among the most powerful and destructive weather events, challenging forecasters to improve predictions and protect vulnerable coastal populations. Gathering detailed data from the storm’s core is essential but notoriously difficult due to the extreme conditions that limit manned aircraft operations. Traditional tools like dropsondes provide some data but are constrained by limited spatial and temporal coverage.
UAS are transforming this landscape. Able to safely operate in hazardous environments where human flights are too risky, UAS offer greater flexibility, lower costs, and more frequent data collection. Recognizing their potential, NOAA launched the Intensity Forecasting Experiment (IFEX) to leverage UAS for improved 3D wind mapping, enhanced thermodynamic sampling near the ocean surface, and more accurate ocean surface wind measurements, critical factors for better cyclone intensity forecasts.
However, high costs and design challenges have limited widespread UAS deployment. To overcome this, NOAA contracted Black Swift Technologies in 2018 to develop a low-cost, air-deployable UAS capable of capturing detailed data in the turbulent lower boundary layer of hurricanes and convective storms.
BST’s solution is the Black Swift SØ, a compact aircraft featuring a single swiveling wing that simplifies construction and reduces weight and cost. Equipped with BST’s proprietary SwiftPilot autopilot, SwiftTab ground station, and integrated sensors, the SØ collects critical measurements: 3D wind vectors, pressure, temperature, humidity, sea surface temperature, and altitude above water.
Fully autonomous after release, the SØ uses advanced navigation algorithms developed with NCAR hurricane data to target specific storm regions, enabling simultaneous deployment of multiple units for dense spatial sampling.
Proven in the 2023 NOAA deployment into Tropical Storm Tammy, the SØ weighed just 2.6 lbs, the lightest UAS to sample a tropical cyclone, and demonstrated over 100 minutes of flight time and communication ranges exceeding 125 nautical miles.
Black Swift Technologies’ SØ platform is advancing tropical cyclone research by providing affordable, resilient, and highly autonomous tools that deliver unprecedented data to improve storm forecasting and save lives.
Find out more on the Black Swift Technologies website.
