NOAA and Saildrone Captures Video Inside Eye of Category 4 Storm for the First Time

Category 4 storms are the worst natural phenomenon that we experience in today's time. To match the strong impact of the atmospheric pressures, researchers have come up with possible protective solutions throughout the years. In addition, several types of equipment were developed to predict incoming storms accurately that prevented citizens from unwanted accidents. The explanation behind the hurricane's composition is being studied in numerous research as well through the help of modern-day technology, and in a recent event, one of the advancements has been utilized to observe what happens in the eye of a storm.

Saildrone Inside Hurricane Sam

(Photo: Saildrone Inc.)

A company known as Saildrone Inc. had been on a series of developments to provide the scientific community a better way of measuring storms. Among their successful machinery, according to Gizmodo, include autonomous drones that could withstand the extremities of a storm for observation.

Saildrone Inc captured one of the latest and tremendous category four storms dubbed Hurricane Sam in a collaborative effort with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration or NOAA. The vehicle deployed to capture the natural phenomenon was an uncrewed surface vehicle or USV. It surged right into Hurrican Sam, which was on the Atlantic Ocean.

The Saildrone Explorer SD 1045 was selected for the project, and it was successful in meeting the storm that, in a turn of events, has evaded the path to the North American east coast. SD1045's greatest challenge yet is the hurricane that runs up to 12 miles per hour and could bring gigantic sea waves that tower up to 50 feet. The SD1045 gave us a unique, first-ever glimpse of the planet's most destructive forces through its effort.

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First-Ever Eye of the Storm Video to Help Hurricane Research and Prediction

The Saildrone USV was able to operate through the extreme conditions of Hurricane Sam and its effects around the Atlantic Ocean. The project was anticipated to endure the environment, as SD1045 was deployed in the middle of the ocean's hurricane season. The information gathered throughout the hurricane expedition is essential to understand more about the atmospheric and physical studies revolving around storms and the development of hurricane predictions and preparedness.

Saildrone founder and CEO Richard Jenkins said in an NOAA report that they are confident in the capabilities their vessels could accomplish, including the trip right into the eye of a hurricane. According to the expert, the survivability of the Saildrones was tested and proven during their previous examinations on the Arctic and the Southern Ocean. The Saildrones gather data from storms that are directly transmitted to NOAA's Pacific Environmental Laboratory PMEL and that Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory for comprehensive analysis.

NOAA expert Greg Foltz said in a New York Times report that the Saildrone project to Hurricane Sam is groundbreaking evidence of the possibility to deploy an uncrewed vessel in the middle of a storm's extremities. The data collected during the mission will be applicable information for future NOAA studies in storm prediction and warning systems.