14 DAY TRIAL // In spite of the advanced technological means at their disposal, researchers analyzing some of the harshest regions of Antarctica still can't get to where they need to be. If they do, however, they cannot endure at those extremely dangerous locations for longer. For the first time, scientists have now been able to obtain highly detailed, close-up images of those previously inaccessible regions, by using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) for aerial surveillance.
Speaking at the latest meeting of the American Geophysical Union (AGU), experts say that the UAV have thus far been successfully used in determining the characteristics of sea ice, glaciers and icebergs, as well as new data pertaining to the animal populations living at the planet's poles. Some of the regions that were analyzed using the flying robots remain outside the reach of humans. This denies investigators the access to a large treasure trove of data that could be used for a variety of purposes, including more accurate climate modeling.
Scientists who have already started using the UAV say that the robots are extremely apt at what they do. The UAV were originally developed by the military, for surveillance and spying missions, but they started being retrofitted with scientific equipment some while ago. They can now carry cameras, thermometers, as well as a host of other devices, which can collect together an impressive amount of data from the environment. The groups using them say that they collect clearer data than currently possible with satellites, or even manned airplane flights, LiveScience reports.
“We're getting detail that we just never had before. We're not as worried if we lose one of these things. Every [polar researcher] knows a researcher who has died trying to get data,” National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) expert Betsy Weatherhead explains. Safety is one of the most important things in polar exploration, as these environments can be very unforgiving. However, the small aircraft can manage to fly in the harsh conditions, and collect data sets that would take researchers days or weeks to gather on site-through direct observations.