Wind profiling in the lower atmosphere from wind-induced perturbations to multirotor UAS

Abstract: We present a model-based approach to wind velocity profiling using motion perturbations of a multirotor unmanned aircraft system (UAS) in both hovering and steady ascending flight. A state estimation framework was adapted to a set of closed-loop rigid body models identified for an off-the-shelf quadrotor. The quadrotor models used for wind estimation were characterized for hovering and steady ascending flight conditions ranging between 0 and 2 m/s. The closed-loop models were obtained using system identification algorithms to determine model structures and estimate model parameters. The wind measurement method was validated experimentally above the Virginia Tech Kentland Experimental Aircraft Systems Laboratory by comparing quadrotor and independent sensor measurements from a sonic anemometer and two SoDARs. Comparison results demonstrated quadrotor wind estimation in close agreement with the independent wind velocity measurements. Wind velocity profiles were difficult to validate using time-synchronized SoDAR measurements, however. Analysis of the noise intensity and signal-to-noise ratio of the SoDARs proved that close-proximity quadrotor operations can corrupt wind measurement from SoDARs.