Atmospheric Measurement Techniques
Atmospheric Measurement Techniques
AMT
Articles | Volume 18, issue 21
Articles | Volume 18, issue 21
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-6493-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-6493-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Articles | Volume 18, issue 21
Research article
 | 
13 Nov 2025
Research article |  | 13 Nov 2025

Atmospheric sounding of the boundary layer over alpine glaciers using fixed-wing UAVs

Alexander R. Groos, Nicolas Brand, Murat Bronz, and Andreas Philipp

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Cited articles

Bonin, T. A., Chilson, P. B., Zielke, B. S., Klein, P. M., and Leeman, J. R.: Comparison and application of wind retrieval algorithms for small unmanned aerial systems, Geosci. Instrum. Method. Data Syst., 2, 177–187, https://doi.org/10.5194/gi-2-177-2013, 2013. a
Bronz, M., Tal, E., Favalli, F., and Karaman, S.: Mission-Oriented Additive Manufacturing of Modular Mini-UAVs, in: AIAA Scitech 2020 Forum, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Orlando, FL, 1–11, ISBN 978-1-62410-595-1, https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2020-0064, 2020. a
Cassano, J. J.: Observations of atmospheric boundary layer temperature profiles with a small unmanned aerial vehicle, Antarctic Science, 26, 205–213, https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954102013000539, 2014. a
Cassano, J. J., Seefeldt, M. W., Palo, S., Knuth, S. L., Bradley, A. C., Herrman, P. D., Kernebone, P. A., and Logan, N. J.: Observations of the atmosphere and surface state over Terra Nova Bay, Antarctica, using unmanned aerial systems, Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 8, 115–126, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-8-115-2016, 2016. a, b, c
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We have developed a low-cost, lightweight, and open-source fixed-wing drone to study vertical changes in air temperature, humidity, pressure, wind speed, wind direction and turbulence in the atmospheric boundary layer over mountain glaciers. The results of four measurement campaigns on a glacier in the Swiss Alps demonstrate the potential of the new measurement technique and reveal characteristic insights into glacier-atmosphere interactions and the mountain-valley wind circulation.
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