MSU drone: Real time info to NOAA

As the Yalobusha River rose around Greenwood, Miss., during a major February rainstorm, scientists from the Northern Gulf Institute at Mississippi State University deployed a small drone to take high-resolution images of rising water and to send images in real time to NOAA experts. Forecasters were able to see the rising waters for two days, which helped confirm when the crest was reached, according to Dr. Suzanne Van Cooten, hydrologist-in-charge at the NOAA National Weather Service Lower Mississippi River Forecast Center in Slidell, La. The visuals helped the weather service to “improve our forecasts, so we can provide critical information to those in an affected area.” NGO scientists piloted the 8.5-foot long by 14-foot wide Griffon Outlaw G2E unmanned drone from MSU’s Raspet Flight Research Center in Starkville. It was equipped with an Overwatch Imaging TK-5 payload, a system able to take, process and transmit images with 6-inch resolution while flying 4,500 feet. The images were transmitted to the High Performance Computing Collaboratory at MSU, and were downloaded to NOAA-Slidell. NOAA forecasters used the information to refine forecasts that are vital to local emergency managers, the public and the area’s farmers. (Source: Weather Nation 03/2019)