ACM TechNews

Unmanned Aircraft Soon to Ride Thermals to Save Fuel

New Scientist (08/21/08) Vol. 199, No. 2670, P. 23

Rhys Watkin of Roke Manor Research in Hampshire, U.K., and colleagues have developed software that could one day be used by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to identify upwards-moving thermal air currents in a bid to mimic the strategies of glider pilots and thus prolong endurance capabilities and save fuel. The software analyses video of the sky using an on-board camera, searching for signs such as the gray dome-shaped clouds formed by hot air that is rising rapidly, and combines the analysis with real-time weather forecasts and computer simulations of local air flow to predict further thermal currents. The software also has been fed data provided by expert gliders on such things as the specific locations of thermal currents during various weather conditions. Combined with GPS technology, the system could enable a UAV to self-navigate through as many thermal currents as possible. In the future, the software could be enhanced to provide analysis of maps of an area and estimation of how well ground surfaces emit heat, further adding to its ability to predict thermal currents. The system has thus far only been tested to suggest a route for a glider to follow but is being adapted for use in UAVs.

http://technology.newscientist.com/article/
mg19926705.500-unmanned-aircraft-soon-to-ride-thermals-to-save-fuel.html

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