Design, Build, and Data Acquisition of Atmospheric Turbulence using Drones
Abstract:
Atmospheric turbulence over urban areas refers to the irregular, chaotic fluctuations in wind speeds/direction caused by the complicated interplay among buildings, terrain, and thermal effects. These turbulent flows significantly influence air quality, pollutant dispersion, thermal stress, and the efficiency of renewable energy systems such as wind turbines. Understanding and quantifying urban turbulence is essential for optimizing urban planning, improving environmental health, as well as advancing sustainable city development. However, capturing detailed turbulence data in these environments presents challenges due to their heterogeneity and the logistical constraints of traditional measurement methods.
This project focuses on the design, fabrication, and deployment of a drone-based system to measure atmospheric turbulence within urban settings. It is teamwork that involves developing
a lightweight, autonomous drone equipped with high-precision anemometers and/or environmental sensors to collect real-time wind velocities, temperatures, together with atmospheric data at various heights and locations. The project includes designing the drone platform to withstand urban conditions, calibrating sensors for accurate measurements, and
establishing safe flight protocols. Data collection efforts aim to generate high-resolution turbulence profiles that enable advanced understanding of airflows and intermittency around buildings and other urban features.
The research outcomes will contribute valuable insights into urban atmospheric dynamics and demonstrate the feasibility of using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for environmental monitoring in complex, dense city/urban environment.
Skills and experience required for the project:
Pre-requisites: Design and manufacturing, applied mathematics, and data analysis/processing
Co-requisites: Basic laboratory instrumentation and fluid mechanics
Related Areas: Aerospace, natural and built environment, and thermofluids