Naval Wind Studies

The US Naval Academy and George Washington University are testing multi-rotor Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), known as octocopters, equipped with the TriSonica Mini Wind & Weather Sensor.

They aim to measure wind profiles around Naval ships at sea. “Landing helicopters on Navy ships can be very challenging, particularly in inclement weather. The Navy is looking for more precise wind information to help guide decisions about when and under what conditions it is safe to land helicopters on Naval ships,” said Dr. Murray Snyder, professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering for GW’s School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS) and a retired US Navy Captain. “We are developing a UAS to collect the data they need.”

‘Landing helicopters on Navy ships can be very challenging, particularly in inclement weather. The Navy is looking for more precise wind information to help guide decisions about when and under what conditions it is safe to land helicopters on Naval ships’