A team of researchers from NASA and their partners are testing new drone technology that could be used for localized forecasting. The team equipped NASA’s Alta X quadcopter with wind sensors, aiming to provide precise and sustainable micrometeorological data to help predict wildfire behavior.
With wildfires becoming more common, and wind being a major contributor to the spread of fires, having localized, real-time wind data could potentially help predict fire growth and spread, alert the public sooner, and lessen fire fatalities.
The Alta X drone was chosen for the project because the U.S. Forest Service already has a fleet of the quadcopters and trained drone pilots, which would make integrating the sensors easier and more cost-effective.
The drones are equipped with a radiosonde, which measures wind speed and direction, humidity, temperature, and pressure. They also have an anemometer, which also measures wind speed and direction.
The use of drones allows pilots to take frequent measurements over precise locations to measure changing weather conditions and help firefighters make quick decisions about where to deploy personnel and resources, draw fire lines, and protect nearby communities.
The research team spent portions of the summer and fall testing the technology in Missoula. This spring, the team will head to Alabama and Florida, incorporating improvements identified in Montana, and test the technology with wildland fire managers in a different region.
