NOAA sends Coyote aircrafts inside Hurricane Edouard

The NOAA Hurricane Hunters released unmanned Coyote aircrafts inside Hurricane Edouard Monday.  The aircrafts were sent in to fly near the ocean surface to collect data.  The following is an excerpt from an article released by NOAA Monday morning:

“NOAA hurricane hunters entered a new chapter in the use of unmanned aircraft systems today when scientists aboard the aircraft launched unmanned aircraft directly into Hurricane Edouard.

The Coyote unmanned aircraft is the first unmanned aircraft deployed directly inside a hurricane from NOAA hurricane hunter aircraft.

The goal of the Coyote is to collect temperature, pressure and wind observations below 3,000 feet, where manned aircraft cannot fly safely.

Because the Coyote can fly near the surface of the ocean where warm ocean water fuels a hurricane, it will help provide vital information needed to better understand and predict hurricane intensity. With its ability to fly for up to two hours in this area, the Coyote will potentially offer more complete data than possible with traditional air-deployed weather instruments, called dropsondes.”

This is great news, as it signifies the advancement and experimentation with new tools in the weather research world.  If all goes as planned, this data will be utilized and applied to provide more detailed information in regards to the magnitude and strength of tropical cyclones.  Be sure to read the entire article on these unmanned NOAA aircrafts.  It’s very intriguing.

Check out the following youtube video for a better idea of how the Coyote drones will be launched and operated: