A new autonomous drone, part of the British Antarctic Survey (BAS), has arrived at Rothera Research Station in Antarctica, ready to begin experiments to improve our understanding of the icy continent. Windracers ULTRAUAV will take to the skies, using an array of cameras and sensors to map and record areas previously inaccessible to researchers.
Conventional manned flights have encountered problems in the areas ULTRA plans to visit. Extreme weather and ultra-low temperatures, combined with the need for larger aircraft and large amounts of fuel, mean crewed flights are risky and costly.
The new drones are designed with these issues in mind. It was tested around the highest mountains in north Wales to simulate the harsh environment and has high redundancy built into the design, meaning it can continue flying even if an engine fails and is easier to repair than traditional aircraft.
According to the British Space Agency's description, ULTRA is "a fully autonomous twin-engine 10-meter fixed-wing aircraft capable of carrying 100 kilograms of cargo or sensors for 1,000 kilometers."
According to the British Antarctic Survey, during the first phase of testing, Windracers ULTRA will use magnetic and gravity sensors to investigate formations, cameras to assess marine food webs in environmentally sensitive areas, and airborne radar to measure glacier structure. If the test is successful, the drone will be used for further research in polar climate science and ecology, glaciology and marine ecosystem studies.
These survey data will help scientific predictions of how the icy Antarctic continent will respond to changes in the Earth's climate. Instrumental data show that average annual temperatures on the Antarctic Peninsula have risen by 5 degrees Fahrenheit (3 degrees Celsius) over the past 50 years, although this is in stark contrast to the relatively unchanged temperatures inland.
The impact of these changes on Antarctica will depend heavily on the local geography and composition, much of which we cannot directly see due to ice and snow cover. But if an area is adjacent to water rather than rock, for example, it will respond very differently to changes in temperature. ULTRA will confirm Antarctica's geology and topography, helping scientists model future melting.
Dr. Tom Jordan, a geophysicist at the British National Academy of Sciences, told the BBC: "This survey is exciting because it will fill in the gaps in our current map of Antarctica. It is difficult and methodical work, especially suitable for autonomous drones. Drones can map the map line by line. This is another big advantage of drones: doing very boring things."