NOAA and Saildrone deployed the fleet of five hurricane-class vessels in the Atlantic’s “hurricane belt” in the summer months leading up to this year’s tropical storm season. Photo Credit: Saildrone Inc.
Technology USAWatch the First Images from Inside a Hurricane
A tiny vessel sent by an American oceanic and atmospheric agency recorded the very first video from within Hurricane Sam, a Category 4 storm, for meteorologists to better understand storm development and improve forecasting.
“Saildrone is going where no research vessel has ever ventured, sailing right into the eye of the hurricane, gathering data that will transform our understanding of these powerful storms,” says Richard Jenkins, founder and CEO of Saildrone.
Crewless and remotely controlled, the 7-meter vessel fought against 15-meter waves, and winds blowing at 193 km/h. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration sent the SD 1045 vessel – it looks like a giant orange surfboard with sails – in the Atlantic Ocean to withstand brutal conditions and gather data from inside a hurricane, including the 30-second video, the first of its kind.
