NAWDIC – in-situ vertical profiles up to the tropopause height for investigating air mass changes (NAWDIC – in-the-air)

• Applicant: Dr.-Ing. Konrad Bärfuss
• Subject Area: Atmospheric Science
• Term: since 2025
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 568160453

The project NAWDIC-in-the-air aims to better understand mesoscale atmospheric phenomena such as atmospheric rivers (ARs) and dry air intrusions (DIs) through additional precise drone observations and to improve their predictability in numerical weather prediction (NWP) models. These structures are crucial for extreme weather events and global energy transport. The proposed project is to be seen as complementary to the NAWDIC and DICHOTOMI projects already approved at KIT. In-situ observations are essential for the accuracy of NWP, especially over the oceans, the least monitored regions. Traditional methods such as radiosondes are environmentally damaging and logistically costly. Drones offer an environmentally friendly and cost-effective alternative, enabling more frequent and accurate measurements and reducing the environmental impact of radiosonde waste. As part of the AEROMET_UAV project, the reusable fixed-wing drone LUCA was developed and successfully tested. Test flights up to an altitude of 10,000 metres were carried out in Germany. The drone LUCA demonstrated high reliability and measurement accuracy, comparable to operational aircraft measurements (AMDAR), and the measurement data can be assimilated into weather models. The project will focus on two main research questions: the spatial and temporal development of ARs and DIs in terms of temperature and humidity, and the feasibility of drone measurements as an environmentally friendly alternative to radiosondes in European airspace. The work programme includes the preparation of the measurement campaign, field experiments, scientific post-processing and integration of the drone data into NWP. The main measurement site is located on the Atlantic coast in Brittany (France). Various risk scenarios, such as not reaching the planned altitude or high air traffic, were defined and equipped with specific fall-back strategies. Overall, NAWDIC-in-the-air utilises modern drone technologies to close atmospheric observation gaps and improve the accuracy of NWP while reducing the environmental impact compared to traditional methods.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: United Kingdom
• Cooperation Partner: Bruce Ingleby