NOAA to send unmanned aircraft into hurricane

The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) is planning on sending tiny, unmanned aircraft on a fearless mission straight into a hurricane -- if they get one to test it in, that is. The $50,000 aircraft, called aerosondes, is designed to collect measurements too dangerous to be done with NOAA's hurricane hunter planes, which NOAA hopes will increase their ability to predict changes in hurricane intensity. The aircraft is launched from atop a speeding pickup truck and can fly for up to 18 hours at a time at altitudes up to 600 meters. The only problem is that their primo spot for hurricane watchin', Key West, Florida, has so far turned up nothin' but nice weather -- good for the residents, but bad for our hurricane-happy scientists. That's made even worse by the fact that their funding for the project is currently set to expire at the end of the month, though they're hoping to get that extended to October if the good/bad weather continues.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 13th 2006 3:48PM]

Seriously guys . . . the bra thing should go. If I wanted that stuff (I do) I'd go somewhere else (and I do, often). Just seems a little "low" for Engadget.

[Bender Posted Sep 13th 2006 4:12PM]

miles they have no control over it, it is posted throughout the network...
that said
I wish i was driving that pickup

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 13th 2006 5:58PM]

Wow! I actually work with this thing.... as for the network comment, work great last year when they flew it into Ophelia.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 13th 2006 9:11PM]

600 meters actually seems kind of low for a UAV... Are you aware of any reason for this sub-mile flight ceiling, Nick?

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 14th 2006 4:32PM]

I went down to Key West and saw this thing up close. Here's my story:

http://cbs4.com/video/?id=[e-mail]