SAMURAI-S: Sonic Anemometer on a MUlti-Rotor drone for Atmospheric turbulence Investigation in a Sling load configuration

<p>This study introduces the SAMURAI-S, a novel measurement system that incorporates a state-of-the-art sonic anemometer combined with a multi-rotor drone in a sling load configuration, designed to overcome the limitations of traditional mast-based observations in terms of spatial flexibility....

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: M. Ghirardelli, S. T. Kral, E. Cheynet, J. Reuder
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Copernicus Publications 2025-05-01
Series:Atmospheric Measurement Techniques
Online Access:https://amt.copernicus.org/articles/18/2103/2025/amt-18-2103-2025.pdf
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Summary:<p>This study introduces the SAMURAI-S, a novel measurement system that incorporates a state-of-the-art sonic anemometer combined with a multi-rotor drone in a sling load configuration, designed to overcome the limitations of traditional mast-based observations in terms of spatial flexibility. This system enables the direct measurement of 3D wind vectors while hovering, providing a significant advantage in manoeuvrability and positional accuracy over fixed mast setups. The capabilities of the system were quantified through a series of 10 to 28 <span class="inline-formula">min</span> flights, conducting close comparisons of turbulence measurements at altitudes of 30 and 60 <span class="inline-formula">m</span> against data from a 60 m tower equipped with research-grade sonic anemometers. The results demonstrate that SAMURAI-S matches the data quality of conventional setups for horizontal wind measurements while slightly overestimating vertical turbulence components. This overestimation increases with wind speed.</p>
ISSN:1867-1381
1867-8548