TruWeather and Iris Automation: Weather Data for Drone Operations

Miriam McNabb

3 years ago

TruWeather and Iris Automations to Provide Weather Data for Flight Operators

by DRONELIFE Staff Writer Ian M. Crosby

Weather data analytics provider TruWeather Solutions today announced a partnership with safety avionics leader Iris Automation for the integration of TruWeather’s micro weather services and weather sensors into Iris Automation’s Casia G ground-based surveillance system (GBSS). This collaboration will provide operators with access to real-time integrated communications, collision avoidance and micro-weather data.

Micro weather or low-altitude local atmospheric conditions are often drastically different from those in higher altitudes, resulting in a degree of uncertainty for uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) and advanced air mobility (AAM) operations. An FAA-funded study at MIT Lincoln Lab found that only 3% of the U.S. has access to reliable surface weather and cloud ceiling report measurements.

“This is what we refer to as a ‘data desert’. Up to 40% of crewed aviation flights that are either canceled or delayed due to weather could have flown. Even higher scrub rates will occur for UAS’ flying beyond-visual-line-of-sight, with no pilot on board to spot problems, unless the surface and low altitude weather measurement gap can be closed,” said TruWeather CEO Don Berchoff, retired U.S. Air Force Colonel and former senior executive Service Technology Director of the National Weather Service Science. “The industry requires even more low altitude weather measurements to increase data fidelity and flights per airframe. Without this, uncertain micro weather and wind conditions will result in conservative business decisions. Failure to resolve this problem will result in fewer flights, disgruntled customers and significant revenue losses.”

To address this issue, TruWeather has shifted its attention to sensor placement and density optimization in order to capture microscale features with rapid update. TruWeather’s sensors can easily be incorporated into Iris Automation’s sensor agnostic Casia G.

A ground-based detect and avoid solution, Casia G enables operators to better detect approaching aircraft and avoid collisions. Like all onboard systems in the Casia line, Casia G is able to detect a small aircraft at an average distance of 1.2 km with a 93.2% detection rate, reacting in mere milliseconds compared to the average 12.5 seconds that it takes for human pilots to react to avoid collision threats. The TruWeather integration adds real time weather data to the list of Casia G’s capabilities. Data gathered from deployments with Casia G will also assist continual learning and reporting improvements for TruWeather’s micro-weather products and services.

“Micro weather information is critical to commercial drone operations, avoiding aborted flights and unnecessary risks and overhead in order to meet the FAA 107 weather minimums. Combined with Casia G, the TruWeather solution provides up to the minute, highly localized climate information to ensure safe drone operations in one easy setup,” said Lori DeMatteis, VP of Sales, Marketing and Customer Success at Iris Automation. “This meets the FAA’s stringent requirements and offers the ability to bring together all the required data in one dashboard. This partnership will drive the expansion of BVLOS safety best practices, offering clients immediate value to ensure operational safety, and rapidly changing climate information for emergency preparedness activities, ensuring both public and personnel safety.”