Photo: Saildrone

For the fourth consecutive year, Saildrone and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are sailing a fleet of uncrewed surface vehicles (USVs) into hurricanes to better understand how these storms develop, track and intensify.

Saildrone Explorer USVs are 23 ft long and carry a payload of sensors to measure air, surface and water temperature as well as humidity, barometric pressure, wind speed and direction, salinity and wave height. To withstand major hurricane conditions—winds over 110 mph and waves that exceed 50 ft—they have a shorter and stronger “hurricane wing,” similar to a reefed sail on a sailboat.

Saildrone USVs sail autonomously along prescribed routes, which Saildrone Pilots define according to weather conditions and to meet mission objectives. Saildrone’s science partners in the mission at NOAA’s Atlantic Oceanographic & Meteorological Laboratory (AOML) and Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory (PMEL) will work closely with Saildrone Mission Control to guide the saildrones into oncoming hurricanes.

As the final group of saildrones was readied for deployment, Tropical Storm Debby was forming in the Gulf of Mexico. Just days after SD-1057 was deployed, the USV sailed through the eye of Hurricane Debby hours before the storm made landfall in Florida. Powered solely by renewable wind and solar energy, the Saildrone fleet will stay at sea for the duration of the mission, which will last through October 2024.

<p>The post Saildrone, NOAA initiate tracking of seasonal hurricane activity first appeared on GPS World.</p>

Photo: Saildrone and NOAA.

As Hurricane Beryl moved across the Caribbean, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has partnered with Saildrone to deploy seven hurricane-tracking saildrones in strategic locations.  

These unmanned surface vessels (USVs) are equipped with a specialized “hurricane wing” to withstand extreme wind conditions. The USVs are gathering real-time data on key atmospheric and oceanic parameters such as wind speeds, wave heights, temperature, pressure and salinity​. 

Hurricane Beryl 

Hurricane Beryl impacted Jamaica, the Cayman Islands and the Yucatan Peninsula. Residents were urged to complete preparations to protect life and property as the storm progressed. 

Two saildrones were deployed in the Gulf of Mexico, launched from St. Petersburg, Florida, and Port Aransas, Texas, and five more in the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea, launched from Jacksonville, Florida, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. These systems provide critical data to improve the understanding and prediction of tropical cyclone intensity changes, particularly rapid intensification — where hurricane wind speeds increase dramatically in a short period​. 

To enhance these efforts, Rutgers University deployed underwater gliders that work in tandem with saildrones. These gliders measure temperature and salinity at various depths, offering a detailed picture of the ocean’s conditions before, during and after a hurricane.  

The collaboration aims to provide high-resolution, coordinated measurements from the ocean surface to the atmosphere, enhancing situational awareness for forecasters and improving the accuracy of hurricane intensity forecasts. 

Our researchers flew into Cat5 Hurricane #Beryl w/ @NOAA_HurrHunter to gather data from the air, while a @saildrone and a @RutgersU sea glider gathered data from the ocean, and @NOAASatellites gathered data from space. #collaboration @NOAAResearch pic.twitter.com/gG8P0yM9wo

— NOAA Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Lab (@NOAA_AOML) July 3, 2024

Advanced Technologies  

Equipped with a “hurricane wing,” Saildrone’s USVs can collect continuous data in harsh storm conditions, providing real-time insights into the physical interactions between the ocean and atmosphere. Underwater gliders, deployed by Rutgers, aid in measuring subsurface ocean conditions, which are critical for understanding how variations in temperature and salinity affect hurricane strength. 

The information gathered by these technologies is extremely valuable for enhancing predictive models, ultimately helping to improve disaster preparedness and response. The partnership between Saildrone, NOAA and Rutgers University represents a significant step forward in the use of uncrewed systems for environmental monitoring. 

Photo: Saildrone and NOAA

<p>The post Saildrone, NOAA and Rutgers improve Hurricane Beryl monitoring first appeared on GPS World.</p>