Flying Anemometers: Performance Assessment of a Miniaturized Sonic Anemometer for Measuring Wind from a Drone
Date
2022-01-28
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Abstract
This MSc thesis incorporates wind-tunnel testing and field trials to evaluate the performance of new miniaturized sonic anemometers for use onboard small aerial drones for meteorological measurements. Drones have received considerable attention as they provide a flexible vantage point for measuring in-situ atmospheric conditions. Specifically, drones equipped with miniaturized sonic anemometers may be suitable for measuring wind conditions in support of research and industrial emissions applications. These compact and lightweight anemometers are small enough to fit the restrictive payloads of small multirotor drones, however, mounting these sensors on a drone introduces several sources of error that have not been well documented. This noted, the objective of this MSc thesis is to evaluate the accuracy of wind measurements from a drone equipped with a miniaturized sonic anemometer. The research approach consisted of two stages. First, flight conditions and changes in pitch angle and yaw rotation were simulated from a fixed position in wind tunnel experiments to evaluate the anemometer’s measurement accuracy in the absence of aerodynamic effects from platform motion and rotors. Next, a rotor wash analysis was performed to measure the airflow disturbance generated by the drone’s rotors. These data were used to identify ideal locations for sensor placement where airflow is minimally disturbed. Results from wind tunnel testing indicate the anemometer systematically disturbs airflow when part of the sensor is upwind of the sampling volume. This interference impacts both wind speed and direction data. Results from the rotor wash testing revealed airflow is minimally impacted 50 cm above the rotors and wind direction is less affected over the upwind rotor pair. These relationships were investigated to optimally balance each factor to generate high quality in-situ atmospheric data from a miniaturized sonic anemometer mounted on a drone. Lastly, recommendations for flight tests are provided for future research. The outcome of this thesis research is a better-resolved understanding of wind measurement accuracy from drones using miniaturized sonic anemometers.
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Keywords
Drones, UAV, Anemometry
Citation
Wearmouth, C. (2022). Flying Anemometers: Performance Assessment of a Miniaturized Sonic Anemometer for Measuring Wind from a Drone (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca.