Development of Community, Capabilities, and Understanding through Unmanned Aircraft-Based Atmospheric Research: The LAPSE-RATE Campaign

TLDR

Unmanned aircraft systems are increasingly used in atmospheric science, leading to the formation of ISARRA and the 2018 LAPSE‑RATE flight week in Colorado’s San Luis Valley. During July 2018, more than 100 students, scientists, engineers, pilots, and outreach coordinators carried out an intensive week‑long field operation with UAS and ground‑based assets to generate datasets, build community, and enhance capabilities. The campaign executed nearly 1,300 research flights totaling over 250 flight hours, and its measurements advanced instrumentation, sampling techniques, modeling tools, system intercomparison studies, new collaborations, and community support for UAS in atmospheric science.

Abstract

ABSTRACT Because unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) offer new perspectives on the atmosphere, their use in atmospheric science is expanding rapidly. In support of this growth, the International Society for Atmospheric Research Using Remotely-Piloted Aircraft (ISARRA) has been developed and has convened annual meetings and “flight weeks.” The 2018 flight week, dubbed the Lower Atmospheric Profiling Studies at Elevation–A Remotely-Piloted Aircraft Team Experiment (LAPSE-RATE), involved a 1-week deployment to Colorado’s San Luis Valley. Between 14 and 20 July 2018 over 100 students, scientists, engineers, pilots, and outreach coordinators conducted an intensive field operation using unmanned aircraft and ground-based assets to develop datasets, community, and capabilities. In addition to a coordinated “Community Day” which offered a chance for groups to share their aircraft and science with the San Luis Valley community, LAPSE-RATE participants conducted nearly 1,300 research flights totaling over 250 flight hours. The measurements collected have been used to advance capabilities (instrumentation, platforms, sampling techniques, and modeling tools), conduct a detailed system intercomparison study, develop new collaborations, and foster community support for the use of UAS in atmospheric science.