Integrating small Unmanned Air-Craft Systems (sUAS) into Meteorology and Atmospheric Science: Challenges and Opportunities for GIScience

Abstract

Small unmanned aircraft (or aerial) systems (sUAS) are poised to revolutionize geospatial data collection for meteorology and atmospheric science, particularly within the lowest portion of the atmosphere, referred to as the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL), where conventional data collection techniques such as satellites, balloons and ground-based weather towers do not provide adequate coverage for monitoring certain types of weather events. The prospects of these autonomous mobile sensing platforms for geospatial data collection in the atmospheric realm are immense, but there has been limited discourse on the broader GIScience-related research challenges and opportunities surrounding data capture and analysis for this field beyond traditional imagery applications. Here, we address the integration of sUAS into meteorology and atmospheric science applications, including severe weather monitoring, from the perspective of the myriad GIScience research challenges and opportunities that exist for collecting and processing alternative types of non-image geospatial data from sUAS. Specifically, we highlight opportunities surrounding data capture and processing, data representations, and societal implications stemming from these applications.