AeroX has announced a collaboration with TruWeather Solutions on an Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) weather study in North Carolina.
The study has been launched to assess weather conditions across the state and engage the community in planning how to build the weather infrastructure required to expand existing and future drone and air taxi service.
AeroX was awarded funding by the North Carolina General Assembly to build an urban advanced air mobility system, with an understanding that these services will help carry cargo and, ultimately, people across the region and state. As a result, AeroX identified weather as a critical component when building the system.
According to AeroX, weather conditions such as rain, wind, fog and storms significantly impact a drone’s ability to operate and function in low-altitude airspace, whether that is within densely developed urban areas or in rural, coastal and mountainous terrains. Knowing where weather hazards exist and where to deploy sensors that can provide critical weather data are seen as key steps in enabling broad and routine drone use.
TruWeather will assess the weather conditions and potential hazards in the state that can make can make drone operations challenging. It will then convene drone manufacturers, uncrewed air traffic management service providers, weather partners and others to understand their particular needs for weather data, report on the study’s findings about low-altitude weather conditions in the state and determine where to begin locating weather infrastructure to support AAM operations. The study kicked off in January and is expected to be completed in May.
AeroX President Basil Yap, said: “We’re conducting a statewide study so we can be ahead of the game, identifying optimal connection points that can provide weather data at the speed with which companies and communities are ready to expand AAM service.”
Chris Zarzar, commercial product manager for TruWeather Solutions, added: “Our goal is to provide data that allows companies and communities to deploy drone and air taxi services in the most cost-effective, highest value possible. At the end of this study, we expect to be ready to purchase and deploy weather sensors at locations across the state, as well as support public agencies that seek to enable AAM in other communities and regions.”
