Researchers at the University of Colorado and University of Nebraska are using drones to learn more about how tornadoes start.
The project has resulted in the formation of the Unmanned Aircraft System and Severe Storms Research Group (USSRG), which was able to obtain promising weather data with the flying machines, according to IGN. The research team now plans on expanding the project to further understand the origin of this superstorm.
The drones measure 5 feet in length with a wingspan of about 10.5 feet, and they are tasked with collecting information on temperature, moisture and wind direction and sending this data to researchers on the ground through Wi-Fi. The machines serve as a cheaper alternative to piloting aircraft since each costs between $30,000 and $50,000.
The scientists are using drones to study tornadoes because they can penetrate parts of the weather systems unreachable by other instruments, and that it's the only they can get instruments deep inside a storm, Yahoo! News reported. Adam Houston, co-director of the USSRG of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, said drones can collect data at altitudes of up to 2,500 feet, which is much higher than ground stations and storm-chasing vehicles can achieve.
Additional reasons for the use of drones include their ability to measure wind below 300 feet, which is lower than radar can reach, cover more territory than storm chasers on the ground and fly into strong winds, downdrafts, rain and hail without endangering human pilots. They also don't need to take off or land from an airport. The drones have yet to crash during tornado research.
The drones don't actually fly into the tornadoes. Instead, they take "the fingerprint" of the air inside supercell thunderstorms that are responsible for creating tornadoes, IGN reported. This air becoming a tornado will allow the fingerprint to help researchers figure out how twisters form and better predict this superstorm.
While the team has FAA approval to fly over parts of Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado and Wyoming, it's still looking for permission to fly over parts of Texas and Oklahoma.
The goal for the USSRG now is to obtain a government research grant of $1 million to $1.5 million for a project spanning two to three years, Yahoo! News reported. The project will have the team go on multiple trips during the tornado season in May-June and study the data they collect about this dangerous storm.
