Toward model free atmospheric sensing by aerial robot networks in strong wind fields

Abstract

This paper presents a system for in situ atmospheric sensing using an aerial robot system in the presence of a strong wind field. The geostatistical concept of the variogram is used to characterize regions of the environment with high variability, which is assumed to correlate with scientific interest. After regions of interest are identified, ordered upwind methods are used to generate feasible trajectories in the face of strong background wind. The feasible trajectories are combined with the variogram characterization to select feasible paths that travel through the regions of highest interest. The system is tested in simulation using data from a simulated severe storm.