AIRforschen is a DLR research project with the aim of significantly improving weather forecasts.
AIRforschen
The DLR Institute of Vehicle Concepts is contributing its expertise in the field of sensor technology to the project on the utilisation of general aviation flight movements for weather measurements under the leadership of the DLR Institute of Data Science and in cooperation with the weather service provider Q.met GmbH and the German Weather Service (DWD).
Challenges and goals
Up to now, most weather forecast data has primarily been collected close to the ground and spatially concentrated. AIRforschen is now tapping into a previously untapped source of data by using general aviation aircraft (motorised aircraft, gliders and balloons) to collect additional measurement data from the weather-relevant boundary layer. The resulting improvement in weather forecasts contributes to increased safety against natural disasters and more efficient management of aviation, transport and energy supply.
An ultra-light sensor kit is being developed for data collection, which is attached directly to the aircraft, collects the data and transmits it to a smartphone app via Bluetooth. The sensor kit records weather data during the flight and sends it anonymously to a central database via the pilots' smartphones. A smartphone app and a website are also being developed as part of the project to transfer the data and facilitate the exchange of information between project participants. The collected data will ultimately be fed into weather models, where it will contribute to the improvement of weather forecasts and the development of new weather services.
