Insight on Gust/Turbulence Characteristics in an Urban-type Boundary Layer

There is lack of accurate data regarding wind gust profiles in complex environments typical of urban boundary layers. SPIV measurements are used to obtain a 3D map of the mean and turbulent flow encountered in a simplified urban array in a modeled atmospheric boundary layer facility. Gust intensity as a function of space in addition to the gust correlations will be shown and compared with the numerical simulations presented in Kandala et al. The dependence of the gust characteristics on the incidence angle of the incoming wind direction into the urban array is also investigated. These results are of importance to MAV applications as it directly impacts their flying characteristics and can be directly related to surging/plunging/pitching motion studies. The gust characteristics are used to build histograms of the angle of attack that an MAV would encounter while maneuvering through an urban array.