Wave Glider Robot Helps Forecast Hurricane Isaac's Path

redletterdave writes with news of a drone that's helping weather forecasters this hurricane season. From the article: "Hurricane prediction is not always an exact science — back in 2005, Hurricane Rita was projected to hit Houston, but missed the region entirely — but the NOAA (National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration) is already on the case. A few weeks ago today, the agency launched an experimental Wave Glider robot named Alex into the ocean, hoping the unmanned drone can forecast the direction of future storms. The Wave Glider, which is completely powered by the waves and the sun thanks to solar panels and a unique thrust engine, contains a GPS unit, satellite communications systems, and sensors for measuring water temperature, wind speed, and various wave characteristics. With its ability to withstand strong winds and thrashing waters — which are typically prohibitive for humans and even aerial vehicles — and its ability to theoretically drift in the ocean endlessly without refueling, a single Wave Glider could be used to monitor not just one storm, but several hurricanes occurring over an entire seasonal period. The NOAA hopes to soon use more Wave Glider robots like Alex to help determine more accurate hurricane watches and warnings."

Wrong in headline

[Fwipp]

The robot doesn't look like it's intended to help predict anything about Isaac.

From TFA:
The NOAA believes Alex will find itself in a hurricane this coming fall.

The NOAA isn't quite ready to use Wave Glider robots like Alex to directly determine hurricane warnings and watches, but at the moment, the organization is taking notes and testing the device to assume these roles sometime in the near future.

Link to Wave Glider Description

[cruff]

Is it really too hard to put a link to the details? Wave Glider Description [liquidr.com]

Re:the lee shore

[pixelpusher220]

The 'propulsion' system is meters below the surface so it acts like an drogue slowing the craft down. It won't be blown with the wind.

I'm sure during a storm it moves multiple miles from initial position, but when you're 100-200 miles offshore that's not going to be an issue. After the storm passes it, it resumes moving about normally.

Re:the lee shore

[wvmarle]

I watched the video (and some more on Youtube) about this thing, it's a really intersting way of propulsion.

First of all this thing is very flat and low in the water, they add a small mast with what looks like a light beacon and probably a radar reflector to make it visible. The rest of the craft is flat. Wind will not have much grip on such a craft.

Then the propulsion: it's a set of fins that's suspended several meters below the floating craft. The craft is dragged up and down by the waves, moving the fins vertically through the water. These fins flip in such a manner that the vertical movement is converted into forward propulsion. The rudder is also attached to these fins, and the fins pull the craft in the desired direction. Strong wind means big waves, which should result in strong propulsion. I don't think wind as such is doing much when it comes to pushing this craft off its course.

All in all it looks really interesting, and quite simple. The wave action is used for the propulsion, solar panels provide power for the rest (such as sensors, communication, navigation).

Re:the lee shore

[GonzoPhysicist]

They actually have much better station keeping than this. The submerged part is not a sea anchor so much as horizontal sail that as it goes up and down pulls the float along, it uses this motion to drive in little circles around its station. They can only move about a knot and a half but have such a low profile as to be unaffected by the wind. I know this because I am sitting next to one in our lab.