Assessment of UAS based Atmospheric Boundary Layer Sampling of Wind Speed

Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) have become more involved in weather monitoring and atmospheric sampling. UAS can be equipped with sensors to measure various atmospheric properties such as temperature, velocity, and humidity. However, it is vital to understand the impact of UAS propulsion systems on the sensors and the data they collect. Initial experiments collected wind speed measurements on a quad-copter based UAS and compared it with a nearby fixed mast. A statistical analysis on this data quantified the minimum distance (5.3 rotor diameters) a sensor should be offset from the rotors (above). The current work aims to expand the scope of this previous work while utilizing the recommended sensor location to obtain trusted velocity measurements from a UAS. This includes the utilization of multiple UAS and masts to better characterize the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL), including local shear. Results shown will include plans for optimal ABL sampling as well as preliminary results from these UAS tests with a focus on length and time scales of the atmospheric boundary layer.