Coordinating weather sensing UAS for atmospheric research: lessons from the SCALES campaign
Bell, T. M., Smith, E. N., Houston, A. L., Pinto, J., Jacob, J., et al. (2026). Coordinating weather sensing UAS for atmospheric research: lessons from the SCALES campaign. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, doi:https://doi.org/10.1175/bams-d-26-0043.1
| Title | Coordinating weather sensing UAS for atmospheric research: lessons from the SCALES campaign |
|---|---|
| Genre | Article |
| Author(s) | T. M. Bell, E. N. Smith, A. L. Houston, James Pinto, J. Jacob, G. de Azevedo, A. Segales, S. C. C. Bailey, C. Swan |
| Abstract | Collecting routine, high-resolution observations of the atmospheric boundary layer remains a persistent challenge for the meteorological community, and weather-sensing unpiloted aircraft systems (WxUAS) are emerging as a cost-effective way to fill this gap. Over the past decade, advances in sensors, components, and regulations have matured these systems, prompting growing interest in how their observations might augment existing networks. Large-scale coordinated field campaigns offer a means to evaluate operational use. Building on prior efforts led by the International Society for Atmospheric Research using Remotely Piloted Aircraft (ISARRA)—notably the 2018 LAPSE-RATE campaign and subsequent community workshops—the Small-UAS Coordination for Atmospheric Low-Level Environmental Sampling (SCALES) campaign was conducted on 8–13 September 2024 in central and northeast Oklahoma, where 30 platforms completed 1064 flights alongside a platform intercomparison. A follow-up workshop, hosted by CIWRO on 5–7 August 2025 in Norman, Oklahoma, convened participants to assess outcomes, capture lessons learned, and formulate action items to guide future ISARRA flight-week campaigns. |
| Publication Title | Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society |
| Publication Date | Apr 1, 2026 |
| Publisher's Version of Record | https://doi.org/10.1175/bams-d-26-0043.1 |
| OpenSky Citable URL | https://n2t.net/ark:/85065/d7r49wb0 |
| OpenSky Listing | View on OpenSky |
| RAL Affiliations | AAP |