Unmanned aircraft revolutionizes Antarctic research with high-quality environmental data collection
"So far, everything is proceeding as planned. Windracers Ultra has proven its ability to collect a diverse range of scientific data effectively. Our initial flights lasted up to 1.5 hours, and we aim to conduct longer missions over the next few weeks," explained Carl Robinson, who is leading the aerial research of Antarctica with the unmanned aircraft.
Tom Jordan, another scientist on the team, claimed that preliminary data collected by Windracers Ultra allows scientists to gather high-quality information about the environment in Antarctica, which will prove invaluable in various scientific fields.
IFL Science reported that the Windracers Ultra aircraft was designed with twin engines. This ensures emergency power in case one of the units fails. The unmanned aircraft, with a wingspan of around 33 feet and a payload of 220 lbs, can travel up to 621 miles.
Unmanned aircraft to be utilized for Antarctic research
The unmanned aircraft is set to be used for various tasks in Antarctica. These include analyzing the structure of the ice coverage using onboard radar and studying tectonic structures beneath the ice using magnetic and gravitational sensors.
IFL Science also highlighted that Windracers Ultra will use hull-mounted cameras to document the Antarctic krill, which forms the foundation of the local food chain. It's also worth mentioning that the manufacturer plans to use an atmospheric turbulence probe to monitor processes occurring in the continent's atmosphere and ocean.
Despite the tests of the Windracers machine so far being initial ones, with more scheduled for the future, president Stephen Wright stresses his belief that autonomous aircraft will soon play a significant role in environmental research. Consequently, he asserts that the current missions of the unmanned Ultracraft are "merely the beginning."
