First flights of uncrewed aircraft in Antarctica

A team testing the Windracers ULTRA drone in Antarctica has shared the first video footage of the aircraft flying autonomously over British Antarctic Survey’s (BAS) Rothera Research Station and its nearby islands.

Scientists and engineers, from BAS and Windracers, are testing the uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) in Antarctica to check its suitability for future use. Over the last few weeks the UAV has flown over 720kms collecting scientific data that could enable researchers to widen the range of scientific research they do to understand how Antarctica is being affected by environmental change.

If successful, the new drone platform could represent a major addition to BAS’s scientific capability on the frozen continent – offering the potential to increase airborne science and accelerate research through increasing the current BAS operations.

Read the full article:

First flights of uncrewed aircraft in Antarctica – British Antarctic Survey (bas.ac.uk)