{"id":201827,"date":"2025-04-18T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-04-17T21:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/?p=850615"},"modified":"2025-04-18T07:00:00","modified_gmt":"2025-04-17T21:00:00","slug":"nasa-studies-wind-effects-and-aircraft-tracking-with-joby-aircraft","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/?p=201827","title":{"rendered":"NASA Studies Wind Effects and Aircraft Tracking with Joby Aircraft"},"content":{"rendered":"
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3 min read<\/p>\n

Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\"A<\/a><\/figure>
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One of several NASA distributed sensing ground nodes is set up in the foreground while an experimental air taxi aircraft owned by Joby Aviation sits in the background near NASA\u2019s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, on March 12, 2025. NASA is collecting information during this study to help advance future air taxi flights, especially those occurring in cities, to track\u00a0aircraft moving through traffic corridors and around landing zones.<\/div>\n
NASA\/Genaro Vavuris<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

NASA engineers began using a network of ground sensors in March to collect data from an experimental air taxi to evaluate how to safely integrate such vehicles into airspace above cities \u2013 in all kinds of weather.<\/p>\n

Researchers will use the campaign to help improve tools to assist with collision avoidance and landing operations and ensure safe and efficient air taxi operations in various weather conditions.<\/p>\n

For years, NASA has looked at how wind shaped by terrain, including buildings in urban areas, can affect new types of aircraft. The latest test, which is gathering data from a Joby Aviation demonstrator aircraft, looks at another kind of wind \u2013 that which is generated by the aircraft themselves.<\/p>\n

Joby flew its air taxi demonstrator over NASA\u2019s ground sensor array near the agency\u2019s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California producing air flow data. The Joby aircraft has six rotors that allow for vertical takeoffs and landings, and tilt to provide lift in flight. Researchers focused on the air pushed by the propellers, which rolls into turbulent, circular patterns of wind.<\/p>\n

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\"Five<\/a><\/figure>
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NASA aeronautical meteorologist\u00a0Luke Bard adjusts one of several wind lidar (light detection and ranging) sensors near NASA\u2019s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, on March 12, 2025, in preparation to collect data from Joby Aviation\u2019s experimental air taxi aircraft. NASA is collecting information during this study to help advance weather-tolerant air taxi operations for the entire industry<\/div>\n
NASA\/Genaro Vavuris<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

This rolling wind can affect the aircraft\u2019s performance, especially when it\u2019s close to the ground, as well as others flying in the vicinity and people on the ground. Such wind turbulence is difficult to measure, so NASA enhanced its sensors with a new type of lidar \u2013 a system that uses lasers to measure precise distances \u2013 and that can map out the shapes of wind features.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe design of this new type of aircraft, paired with the NASA lidar technology during this study, warrants a better understanding of possible wind and turbulence effects that can influence safe and efficient flights,\u201d said Grady Koch, lead for this research effort, from NASA\u2019s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia.<\/p>\n

Data to Improve Aircraft Tracking<\/h2>\n
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NASA also set up a second array of ground nodes including radar, cameras, and microphones in the same location as the sensors to provide additional data on the aircraft. These nodes will collect tracking data during routine flights for several months.<\/p>\n

The agency will use the data gathered from these ground nodes to demonstrate the tracking capabilities and functions of its \u201cdistributed sensing\u201d technology, which involves embedding multiple sensors in an area where aircraft are operating.<\/p>\n

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\"The<\/a><\/figure>
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One of multiple NASA distributed sensing ground nodes is set up in the foreground while an experimental air taxi aircraft owned by Joby Aviation hovers in the background near NASA\u2019s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, on March 12, 2025. NASA is collecting information during this study to help advance future air taxi flights, especially those occurring in cities, to track\u00a0aircraft moving through traffic corridors and around landing zones.<\/div>\n
NASA\/Genaro Vavuris<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

This technology will be important for future air taxi flights, especially those occurring in cities by tracking aircraft moving through traffic corridors and around landing zones. Distributed sensing has the potential to enhance collision avoidance systems, air traffic management, ground-based landing sensors, and more.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur early work on a distributed network of sensors, and through this study, gives us the opportunity to test new technologies that can someday assist in airspace monitoring and collision avoidance above cities,\u201d said George Gorospe, lead for this effort from NASA\u2019s Ames Research Center in California\u2019s Silicon Valley.<\/p>\n

Using this data from an experimental air taxi aircraft, NASA will further develop the technology needed to help create safer air taxi flights in high-traffic areas. Both of these efforts will benefit the companies working to bring air taxis and drones safely into the airspace. <\/p>\n

The work is led by NASA\u2019s Transformational Tools and Technologies<\/a> and Convergent Aeronautics Solutions<\/a> projects under the Transformative Aeronautics Concepts program<\/a> in support of NASA\u2019s Advanced Air Mobility mission<\/a>. NASA\u2019s Advanced Air Mobility mission seeks to deliver data to guide the industry\u2019s development of electric air taxis and drones.<\/p>\n

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