Using unmanned aerial vehicles in Antarctica

• Main Author: Brears, Robert
• Format: Other/Unknown Material
• Language: English
• Published: 2011
• Subjects: Arctic; Antarc*; Antarctica
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10092/14168

While Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have become synonymous with military operations, particularly in Afghanistan, they have also been quietly invading the Arctic region of Earth for the purpose of science. UAVs used for scientific research come in various shapes and sizes, just like their military cousins. Some catapult from ships, others launch from running pickup trucks and some take off the old-fashioned way - from icy airstrips (Scientific American, 2010). They can carry a simple camera or a variety of scientific instruments, from radar (or lidar, the laser-based version) to chemical analysis tools and infrared sensors (Scientific American, 2010). This paper investigates:  What the definition and purpose of a UAV is;  A selection of UAVs commonly used for scientific research;  What projects have used or are using UAVs in Antarctica;  What gaps and issues are there for using UAVs for scientific research in Antarctica; and  Future alternatives to current UAVs for data collection in Antarctica