World-first: Surfboard-sized robot records live data inside Category 5 hurricane
SMRTR summary
A robot the size of a surfboard just made history by becoming the first uncrewed vessel to transmit live data from inside a Category 5 hurricane's eyewall.
NOAA's four-foot C-Star robot sailed directly into Hurricane Humberto on September 28, recording wind gusts topping 150 miles per hour and a minimum air pressure of 955 millibars. When sunlight increased alongside the pressure drop, scientists knew the wind-powered vessel had brushed the storm's eye itself.
The breakthrough represents a new frontier in hurricane research. These solar-powered boats transmit measurements every two minutes, capturing wind speed, pressure, temperature and sea conditions from the planet's most dangerous weather zones.
"The C-Stars collected valuable data from the strongest part of Hurricane Humberto and successfully transmitted it in near-real-time," said Greg Foltz, an oceanographer at NOAA's Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Lab.
Seven C-Stars are currently operating this hurricane season through a partnership between NOAA, UK-based Oshen, and the University of Southern Mississippi. The data feeds directly into NOAA's forecasting systems, potentially revolutionizing storm prediction by providing real-time measurements from areas previously too dangerous to monitor.
SMRTR provides this summary for quick context. The original article belongs to Interesting Engineering.
Read the original article