Lightweight Meteorological Drone for High-Resolution Boundary Layer Observations and Urban Climate Assessment
Keywords
Atmospheric profiling, urban meteorology
Presenter Abstract
Existing observational tools for weather forecasting are sparse, static, and lack the horizontal and vertical resolution to capture boundary layer dynamics at decision-relevant scales. A lightweight meteorological drone has been developed that facilitates vertical profiling of the lower troposphere. In the process of development, flights have been conducted in all weather conditions demonstrating 100+ km/hr wind and rain resistance. Particular attention has been devoted to ensuring high data quality with precise meteorological profiles of temperature, relative humidity, and horizontal winds to within 0.1 oC, 1% RH, and 0.3 m/s, respectively.
Initial deployments have investigated the value of urban green spaces to improve health and social-environmental connection to nature, in collaboration with the environmental justice non-profit Groundwork San Diego, as part of the UC San Diego Community Stations Initiative, which is led by the UC San Diego Center on Global Justice. This initiative comprises a pilot project for the Green Schoolyard program of the San Diego Unified School District. The scope includes generating a heat map and conducting vertical profiles at Chollas-Mead Elementary School to assess the value of transforming an existing asphalted playground into a vegetated, nature-play zone with a porous surface, trees and other vegetation to connect the school grounds and neighboring canyon with a nature trail. Observational data have illustrated the benefits of urban green spaces and have provided a metric for assessing the well-being of students. In addition, lightweight drones weather stations are conductive for K-12 programs and outreach in public school systems.
Presentations
Presented in Session 3: Platform Development III
Lightweight Meteorological Drone for High-Resolution Boundary Layer Observations and Urban Climate Assessment
Existing observational tools for weather forecasting are sparse, static, and lack the horizontal and vertical resolution to capture boundary layer dynamics at decision-relevant scales. A lightweight meteorological drone has been developed that facilitates vertical profiling of the lower troposphere. In the process of development, flights have been conducted in all weather conditions demonstrating 100+ km/hr wind and rain resistance. Particular attention has been devoted to ensuring high data quality with precise meteorological profiles of temperature, relative humidity, and horizontal winds to within 0.1 oC, 1% RH, and 0.3 m/s, respectively.
Initial deployments have investigated the value of urban green spaces to improve health and social-environmental connection to nature, in collaboration with the environmental justice non-profit Groundwork San Diego, as part of the UC San Diego Community Stations Initiative, which is led by the UC San Diego Center on Global Justice. This initiative comprises a pilot project for the Green Schoolyard program of the San Diego Unified School District. The scope includes generating a heat map and conducting vertical profiles at Chollas-Mead Elementary School to assess the value of transforming an existing asphalted playground into a vegetated, nature-play zone with a porous surface, trees and other vegetation to connect the school grounds and neighboring canyon with a nature trail. Observational data have illustrated the benefits of urban green spaces and have provided a metric for assessing the well-being of students. In addition, lightweight drones weather stations are conductive for K-12 programs and outreach in public school systems.