Wind Estimation with Multirotor UAVs

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have benefited from a tremendous increase in popularity over the past decade, which has inspired their application toward many novel and unique use cases. One of them is UAVs meteorological research, particular for wind measurement. Research this field using quadcopter shown promising results. However, most results literature suffer three main drawbacks. First, experiments are performed as numerical simulations or tunnels. Such limited validity real-life conditions. Second, it almost always assumed that drone stationary, limits measurements spatially. Third, no attempts at estimating vertical made. Overcoming these limitations offer an opportunity to gain significant value measurements. We address shortcomings by proposing new dynamic model-based approach, relies on assumption thrust can be measured estimated, while drag related air speed. Moreover, proposed method tested empirical data gathered DJI Phantom 4 drone. During hovering, our leads precision accuracy comparable existing methods tilt estimate wind. At same time, able moving. This paves way uses UAVs, such measurement shear profiles, knowledge relevant Atmospheric Boundary Layer (ABL) meteorology. Additionally, since commercial off-the-shelf used, methodology replicated others without any need custom hardware development modifications.