Check out this team of researchers in Antarctica, flying a 100-pound aircraft to use radar to measure the ice-bed of sub-glacial Lake Whillans. Fielded by the Center for Remote Sensing of Ice Sheets (CReSIS), this National Science Foundation project is studying ice melt and potential sea-level rise. The autopilot and ground control software for the aircraft is provided by Pulse Aerospace, which notes, “We are encouraged about the team’s accomplishments over the past 5 years. It takes strong discipline to field systems of this complexity in environments like the Antarctic. There are a number of things that can go wrong, and the team’s goal is to be prepared, not only to operate the system safely, but also to adapt the aircraft mission to ever changing conditions.” The 2-minute video is an interesting peek into a unique way UAVs are helping scientists.
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