The unmanned aircraft, ArcticShark, has recently completed its test flight in Pendleton, Oregon. The aircraft is prepared to collect important data about the arctic atmosphere.
Scientists of the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory play a significant role in this regard, according to the Phys.org. The ArcticShark is properly managed by the ARM or the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Climate Research Facility. This unmanned aircraft system or the UAS will begin its activity from the year 2018.
The ArcticShark will be furnished with different modern instruments to gather data on the earth's atmosphere in the Arctic region. The data must be very helpful for the scientists to explore the condition of the said region, Unmanned Aerial Online stated. Arctic is considered as a sensitive area and accumulating the most trusted data of that area is a great breakthrough in the modern science.
The ArcticShark can fly up to 15,000 feet with a speed of 75 miles per hour. The wingspan of the aircraft is 22 feet. This unmanned aircraft system will participate in the field research program in Alaska in 2018.
The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory or the PNNL in Richland, wash, took the key initiative to avail the flight approvals from the Federal Aviation Administration. The aim was to create a plan of operation for the ArcticShark. Steve Chrisman, economic development director and the airport manager of the Pendleton city, Oregon, utters significant words about this project.
Steve Chrisman reveals that the Oregon state and Pendleton city tried hard to develop the UAS test range in the eastern Oregon. PNNL is the first organization that prepared to use the range. Chrisman believes that this effort opens up a new era in Aviation. The use of the ArcticShark will unveil many opportunities to explore important facts about the atmosphere on earth.
Currently, many research works are taking place in different parts of the world to identify and address several atmospheric issues. The advent of the ArcticShark aircraft will uncover many essential facts about the Arctic atmosphere. In a word, this is a great initiative and can be a part to obtain a clean environment.
