Single Use Uncrewed Aircraft with Oceanic Range

Low level meteorological data over the world’s oceans is hard to collect, due to the cost and difficulty of sensor emplacement. Crewed aircraft are deployed when major weather events arise, but between those major weather events, in-situ data sources are very limited. Uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) present a unique opportunity to inexpensively collect meteorological data from remote areas, but current systems cannot meet the cost and capability thresholds to make data collection economically viable. In the preceding Phase I effort, Dragoon demonstrated the ability to carry a meteorological sensor for very long periods, using an internally developed platform to fly a 26-hour, 39-minute data collection mission. This proposal outlines the next steps in developing and testing an optionally disposable UAS platform for weather data collection. The proposed work includes research into novel manufacturing methods to decrease the cost of UAS, as well as hybrid powerplant development for increased UAS energy efficiency. A detailed aircraft design will be completed, followed by prototyping of the aircraft in low quantity. The prototypes will be used to collect in-situ data over ocean areas in the vicinity of North and South America. These flights will demonstrate a viable data collection platform for future production deployment in a Phase III setting.