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research.helicopter observation platform
Duke University’s Pratt School of
Engineering operates a Bell JetRanger helicopter outfited with a new platform of research sensors to bridge a gap in airborne studies of natural and man-made environmental processes.
The advantage of the helicopter is that it combines a slow sampling speed, needed for many kinds of research, with a long duration at the designated sampling area. In addition, a helicopter can fly safely at very low altitudes, and it can operate in remote areas, even from ships, without requiring long transit time.
HOP Capabilities
The turbine-powered Bell 206B-3 is a five-seat helicopter powered by a Rolls-Royce jet engine. It is widely used in law enforcement, fire fighting, as a corporate aircraft and by television news crews. According to the National Transportation Safety Board, the JetRanger is the nation’s safest single-engine aircraft. Bell is a subsidiary of Textron Inc., of Fort Worth, Texas.
The Helicopter Observation Platform (HOP), painted in Duke blue with black stripes, carries specialized instruments attached to its nose and in belly pods to perform environmental observations that are missed by high-flying and fast airplanes, satellites, and balloons and sounding rockets.
The scientific sensors currently mounted on the craft’s nose include a sonic anemometer to measure very-high frequency, three-dimensional turbulence at low flying speeds; an instrument to measure water and carbon dioxide concentrations; a sensor to measure three-dimensional wind, temperature and moisture content at high flying speeds; and an aerosol counter to sample the air and count the number of aerosols as well as measure their size distribution.
In addition, the helicopter is equipped with a satellite navigation system that produces computer-generated, three-dimensional images of the aircraft's position in relation to the terrain below. Other instruments will be mounted on the helicopter as needed.
Opportunities for Collaboration
The aircraft, which cost $1.3 million, is available to researchers from other universities and institutions. Duke researchers anticipate the system's capabilities will allow researchers to better monitor and understand the influence of natural and man-made modifications to local landscapes on the environment. Researchers interested in investigating HOPs capabilities for collaborative research should contact Roni Avissar.
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