NASA Armstrong Supports AEROcAST Wind Study

This is one of two lidar units positioned on either end of Building 4833 at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, that formed the cutting-edge ‘virtual tower concept.’ The units use lasers to measure airflow from the ground level to 2,000 feet to provide data to assist future drones to safely land on rooftop hubs called vertiports, and to potentially improve weather prediction. It was part of the multi-faceted Advanced Exploration of Reliable Operation at Low Altitudes: Meteorology, Simulation and Technology campaign.

This is one of two lidar units positioned on either end of Building 4833 at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, that formed the cutting-edge ‘virtual tower concept.’ The units use lasers to measure airflow from the ground level to 2,000 feet to provide data to assist future drones to safely land on rooftop hubs called vertiports, and to potentially improve weather prediction. It was part of the multi-faceted Advanced Exploration of Reliable Operation at Low Altitudes: Meteorology, Simulation and Technology campaign.

Photographer NASA/Carla Thomas
Location AFRC
NASA s Armstrong Flight Research CenterNASA ArmstrongAFRCEdwards Air Force BaseCaliforniawind studymicro weatherimproved weather predictionAEROcASTAdvanced Exploration or Reliable Operation at Low Altitudes MetSimulationand TechnologyAAM Advanced Air MobilityAAMatmospheric boundary layerAlta-XvertiportsDROIDvirtual towerlidar unitsDryden Remotely Operated Integrated DronemeteorologyCASConvergent Aeronautics SolutionsTACPTransformative Aeronautical Concepts Program