Uploaded September 2023 | Updated September 2026, 12 hours ago
For the third year, NOAA and Saildrone, Inc. deployed saildrones, uncrewed surface ocean observation platforms powered by solar, wind, and wave energy, to track Atlantic hurricanes. These robots provide key information about the ocean and atmosphere, including sea surface temperature, salinity, surface air temperature, humidity, pressure, wind direction and speed, and wave height.
On August 29, Saildrone 1083 passed right through the north side of the eye wall, into the eye of Idalia, then through the southern eye wall, all while multiple dropsondes were deployed over the saildrone from the NOAA P-3 hurricane hunter aircraft. This particular uncrewed surface vehicle withstood sustained tropical storm force winds for more than nine hours and experienced 9.6 meter (31 feet) high waves.
For the third year, NOAA and Saildrone, Inc. deployed saildrones, uncrewed surface ocean observation platforms powered by solar, wind, and wave energy, to track Atlantic hurricanes. These robots provide key information about the ocean and atmosphere, including sea surface temperature, salinity, surface air temperature, humidity, pressure, wind direction and speed, and wave height.
On August 29, Saildrone 1083 passed right through the north side of the eye wall, into the eye of Idalia, then through the southern eye wall, all while multiple dropsondes were deployed over the saildrone from the NOAA P-3 hurricane hunter aircraft. This particular uncrewed surface vehicle withstood sustained tropical storm force winds for more than nine hours and experienced 9.6 meter (31 feet) high waves.
