2008 Annual Report - NASA Airborne Science Program

Figure 8
2008 UAS proposed operations area
(Atlantic Ocean east of Barbados).
UAS platforms to obtain in-situ measurements in
areas that are inaccessible to manned or larger
UAS platforms. Dr. Joseph Cione of NOAA is
the principal investigator, with support from the
NASA Airborne Science Program.
The 2008 campaign was based out
of Barbados, after a statistical analysis
of past storm tracks and matching
of available international airspace
allowed us to maximize our chances
to successfully sample a hurricane.
Unfortunately, no storms developed
or passed through the operations
area during the study timeframe,
always a risk for weather-based
studies, thus no flights were flown.
However, the successful planning
and logistics of the 2008 campaign
provided a “head start” on next year’s
mission. Required planning activities
now in place include:
• Diplomatic clearances obtained
for UAS operations.
• Airspace access with approved
operation plans for Barbados,
Trinidad & Tobago, and the Piarco
Flight Information Region (FIR).
• In-country support from the
Barbados Military, Caribbean
Institute for Meteorology (CIMH),
and the University of West Indies
(UWI).
Preparations are now in work for
the 2009 mission, which will also be
based from Barbados, building on
the accomplishments of this year’s
activities.
Figure 9
UAS flight path (black/wind barbs) and storm track
(blue) into Hurricane Noel on November 2, 2007.
Storm intensity at UAS take-off was 65 knots.
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