A measurement system comprises a plurality of High-Altitude Pseudo Satellites (HAPS) 2, 3, each HAPS carrying a plurality of lightweight dropsondes 1, each dropsonde including sensors and a transmitter. The plurality of high altitude pseudo satellites are located in a geographical array (12, fig. 2) over at least part of an area of the earth, with dropsondes being deployed from the HAPS at predetermined times, so that the deployed dropsondes gather sensed data after deployment, the sensed data transmitted 4 to the HAPS 2, 3. The HAPS may transmit the sensed data to a satellite 5 for onward transmission to the ground for meteorological forecasting. Also disclosed is a stackable shuttlecock design dropsonde comprising a PCB carrying sensor(s), a transmitter and a retarding member. A dropsonde dispenser fig. 5 comprises a conveyor mechanism 9, separator mechanism 10 and aperture 11. Each dropsonde 1 includes an electrical contact 8 forming an electrical connection with a conducting member in conveyor mechanism 9. The connection is used to keep the PCB of each stored dropsonde in a hibernation state, ensure the dropsonde batteries remain in a healthy state of charge, provide environmental conditioning / heating and trigger dropsonde initialisation when power is removed. Dropsondes may include a wireless or inductive receiver and the HAPS dispenser a transmitter, such that stowed dropsondes are in contact with the dispenser. Dropsondes may be deployed by a forced disconnection.
Method and apparatus for dropsonde deployment
2022-05-25
Patent
Electronic Resource
English