The Saildrone drone captured video from the center of Hurricane Fiona, which hit Canada
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration used the Saildrone marine drone to study Hurricane Fiona.
The agency has long used Saildrone to find reasons for rapidly intensifying storms. In a new mission, the drone was able to record video while inside Category 4 Hurricane Fiona, which hit Canada’s east coast last weekend.
On September 22, Saildrone was sent to the center of the hurricane, which at that time was near Bermuda. During the tasks, the drone faced winds with a speed of more than 160 km/h and waves with a height of more than 15 m.
The SD 1078 drone was used to study Hurricane Fiona. It is one of seven ‘hurricane’ drones that perform their missions in the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. Scientists use them to collect real-time data to understand the physical processes that occur inside hurricanes. It is expected that this knowledge will help improve the accuracy of storm forecasting and reduce human casualties through timely preparation of coastal areas.
