UAV Atmosphere Sounding for Rocket Launch Support

Area of Science:

• Aerospace Engineering
• Meteorology
• Unmanned Systems

Background:

• Suborbital rocket launches require accurate near-ground wind data for safety, especially during initial ascent.
• Existing wind measurement methods (wind towers, numerical models, meteorological balloons) have significant limitations for pre-launch assessments.
• The influence of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) rotors on onboard anemometer accuracy is an understudied area requiring experimental validation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To prototype and validate a novel wind measurement system using a UAV for acquiring near-ground wind profiles.
• To provide on-demand, high-frequency wind data critical for ensuring the safety of suborbital rocket launches.
• To experimentally assess and quantify measurement errors associated with UAV-mounted ultrasonic wind sensors.

Main Methods:

• Development of a UAV-based atmosphere sounding system equipped with an ultrasonic wind sensor.
• Flight testing in both natural (outdoor) and controlled (indoor) environments.
• Benchmarking the UAV system's data against a stationary reference weather station to analyze rotor influence and quantify errors.

Main Results:

• The prototyped UAV wind measurement system achieved a wind speed Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of 5 m/s.
• Directional accuracy demonstrated a Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) below 5.3° (averaged over 1 minute).
• The system's feasibility was confirmed through successful integration and operation during a suborbital rocket launch campaign.

Conclusions:

• The UAV-based system offers a viable and effective solution for obtaining crucial near-ground wind profile data for rocket launches.
• The study provides experimental validation for UAV-mounted anemometer performance, addressing a gap in existing research.
• This technology enables regular, automated meteorological measurements, significantly enhancing launch safety protocols.