DataHawk Flocks: Self-Contained sUAS Modules for High-Resolution Atmospheric Measurements

Abstract : A portable system for making high-resolution atmospheric measurements was constructed under a DURIP equipment grant. This system consists of four ground support pods, each comprised of a shipping case, up to five DataHawk aircraft, a ground station computer, telemetry antennas and tripods, and a battery charging system. The aircraft are all of the DataHawk 2 design, providing highly rugged airframes that can be disassembled into compact volumes for shipping, second-generation autopilots developed at CU, and triple battery packs for long duration sensing. This system has been used so far in three major field campaigns in Utah, and Alaska, and Japan.