Operators must keep the drone batteries warm prior to launch, otherwise the flights last less than 10 minutes. This isn't easy when it's -25°F outside! There must also be a strong GPS signal, which is essential for drone navigation (during the automatic phase) and data analysis. On top of all this, the ice around Polarstern is always cracking and shifting, which makes it difficult to set up instruments. Every day is an adventure!
Nowadays, it’s possible to find sensors (such as temperature and humidity sensors) that are small and light enough to fly on the DataHawk drone. For everything else, we can build the instruments we need to achieve our scientific goal. For example, the team at the University of Colorado-Boulder has developed sensors that measure air turbulence, adding another set of data points to our increasing understanding of the Arctic atmosphere. All of these sensors have been tested on DataHawk drones in the harsh Arctic environment during a previous expedition, so I'm very excited to collect reliable measurements for MOSAiC!
