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Completed TRL 2 (started at 2, targeting 2)
High-Level Research Goals are to develop an onboard, real time weather sensor suite and processors for all aircraft that detects aviation weather hazards, uploads current radar (uses on-board radar for aircraft equipped), networks weather/radiation data with other WHAATRR equipped aircraft, has weather model data for the route of flight at preflight and updates that data during flight. The onboard processor then provides strategic, efficient and safe route changes to auto-pilots, pilots and operators, and distributes weather data to meteorologists and forecast modelers for forecast verification and model improvements and issues warnings with a safe route to avoid the hazard to the pilot and distributes that warning to other aircraft in the vicinity
Our objective is to develop a small Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (sUAV) that can demonstrate safe flight operations in the National Airspace System (NAS), is capable of replacing the current radiosonde systems utilized worldwide, is reusable, longer in duration, can loiter and target/sense weather/radiation hazards and the surrounding environment.
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This is early/mid-stage (TRL 2) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.
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