2016 AAAS Annual Meeting (February 11-15, 2016)

February 10 - 15, 2016

Unmanned Autonomous Systems for Climate and Environmental Research

Unmanned autonomous systems (UAS) or “drones” provide unique capabilities for advancing environmental and climate science in remote or hard-to-reach areas, but controversial issues related to government regulation and privacy concerns remain. Additionally, there are scientific and technical challenges related to the use of drones in the miniaturization of scientific instruments, guidance and navigation systems, de-icing, and launching and recovering UAS in remote areas. This symposium will discuss the cutting-edge environmental and climate science currently being done that could include use of drones; the benefits of drones over manned aircraft or other observational methods; and the current technological, policy, and regulatory challenges that limit the use of drones for science.