Keywords
Vertical profiling, in situ, UAS engineering, network
Presenter Abstract
Accurate observations of the atmospheric boundary layer remain a major limitation in numerical weather prediction, especially at scales relevant to convective initiation, boundary layer evolution, and rapidly changing local environments. This presentation introduces the CopterSonde, a purpose-built weather-sensing UAS developed at the University of Oklahoma to collect thermodynamic and kinematic vertical profiles of the lower atmosphere. The talk will highlight how years of field-driven engineering, deployment, and refinement have matured the platform from an academic prototype into a reliable system for challenging boundary layer conditions, with recent deployment results demonstrating improved data quality, reliability, and operational readiness in strong winds, turbulence, and severe-weather environments.
I will also discuss how CopterSonde observations support direct profiling, value-added retrievals, and data distribution applications, including the CopterSonde Data Viewer, which blends UAS profiles with surface observations and short-term model forecasts. A particular emphasis will be placed on recent progress from the CopterSonde LAAIRS (Laboratory for Advanced Atmospheric Investigation using Robotic Sondes) project, which is advancing the system toward an unattended vertical-profiling station. Recent LAAIRS results include integration and field validation of an Ultra-Wideband local positioning system for improved precision landing, performance beyond the GPS/IMU-only baseline, and successful end-to-end testing of an automated SkyCharge-based charging workflow through a new ground-control interface. Together, these form the baseline for autonomous CopterSonde stations that can support routine boundary layer observations for research, operations, and forecasting applications.
Presentations
Presented in Session 11: Research to Operations I
Headshot
CopterSonde: Progress Toward Autonomous Boundary Layer Profiling Stations
Accurate observations of the atmospheric boundary layer remain a major limitation in numerical weather prediction, especially at scales relevant to convective initiation, boundary layer evolution, and rapidly changing local environments. This presentation introduces the CopterSonde, a purpose-built weather-sensing UAS developed at the University of Oklahoma to collect thermodynamic and kinematic vertical profiles of the lower atmosphere. The talk will highlight how years of field-driven engineering, deployment, and refinement have matured the platform from an academic prototype into a reliable system for challenging boundary layer conditions, with recent deployment results demonstrating improved data quality, reliability, and operational readiness in strong winds, turbulence, and severe-weather environments.
I will also discuss how CopterSonde observations support direct profiling, value-added retrievals, and data distribution applications, including the CopterSonde Data Viewer, which blends UAS profiles with surface observations and short-term model forecasts. A particular emphasis will be placed on recent progress from the CopterSonde LAAIRS (Laboratory for Advanced Atmospheric Investigation using Robotic Sondes) project, which is advancing the system toward an unattended vertical-profiling station. Recent LAAIRS results include integration and field validation of an Ultra-Wideband local positioning system for improved precision landing, performance beyond the GPS/IMU-only baseline, and successful end-to-end testing of an automated SkyCharge-based charging workflow through a new ground-control interface. Together, these form the baseline for autonomous CopterSonde stations that can support routine boundary layer observations for research, operations, and forecasting applications.
Presenter Biography (Optional)
Dr. Antonio R. Segales is a Research Scientist at the University of Oklahoma Cooperative Institute for Severe and High-Impact Weather Research and Operations (CIWRO), where he leads the design, fabrication, and field deployment of uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) for atmospheric and radar measurement. He earned a Ph.D. and M.S. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from OU in 2022 and 2019, respectively, after completing a B.S. in Mechatronics at the National University of Asunción in Paraguay. His current research program combines airframe design, sensor and radio-frequency payload integration, autopilot command and control algorithm implementation, and translation to deployable and practical use.