Unmanned Arial System (UAS)
Development for Atmospheric
Research
Naeem Tull-Walker
Grambling State University
Mentors: Dr. Demoz, Dr. Sakai
Howard University

Goal: introduce new platform for
sensing at Beltsville - unmanned aerial
systems (UAS)



humidity sensors, small aerosol samplers, for vertical
profiling activities
emerging technology development for NOAA.
Other platforms for calibration:
tethered balloons, tower
 various drones
 Kites

Overall goal of the project
Tethered balloon
The goal is to be able to
operate instrumented copter
in tandem with a tethered
balloon and tower.
Balloon payload
Once calibration is satisfied,
the copter will be operated
solo at other places.
Tower payload
Flux tower
REU research Objective
Operation of the copter :
Current state of the instrument.
Task: learn to fly and control the
vertical sounding units.
Flight Simulator loaded and
ready for practice.
 play with the simulator and
learn the controls
REU research Objective
Payload design :
Current state of the instrument (see
photo).
Task: Need to design a light weight
packageing.
 Study and document the
components
 help with designing this into a
stairoform packaging unit that
can get attached to a copter.
Battery
RaspberryPI
REU research Objective
Data analysis
This package is being is
loaded in Dr. Sakai’s car and
travel’s with from Beltsvillehome and back. Data (T/RH,
Pressure/GPS) is collected.
Task: Use Google earth to
visualize
 Help with data coding.
REU research Objective
Data analysis
This package is also operated
side-by-side with other sensors
in Beltsville.
Task: Assess the quality of the
Meteorological sensors.
 Help with data coding and
statistics.
Summary of Tasks
Instrumentation:
•Sonic set up
•T/RH Calibration
• INS
• RF communication
Programming/Field
• Raspberry Pi set up
• Correlation of Thref data
• Balloon calibration design
• UAS-instrument mount
“FUN”
• UAS simulator/control
• Test flight
•
•
Science study design
Q. What problem do you want to research?
A. Focus on the Data Analaysis Aspects,
learning the ins and outs of the Q-Copter ,
via test flights, categorization and
calibrations of different instruments being
used. Accurate data collection.
Please visit
1) https://www.arm.gov/sites/aaf/workshop2008/1016/0845to0900Reuder.pdf
2) http://www.weatherwise.org/Archives/BackIssues/2012/March-April2012/UAVs-full.html
http://www.academia.edu/2199388/A_small_unmanned_aerial_system_UAS_for_coastal_atmospheric_research_preliminary_results_from_New_Zealand
ftp://ftp.rap.ucar.edu/pub/rgf/kite_profiling.pdf
http://uas.noaa.gov/
http://uas.noaa.gov/director.html