Can drones help the National Weather Service better predict a devastating tornado?

Verizon’s First Responder Network has signed an agreement to share its drones with the National Weather Service in hopes of “rapidly” deploying the drones to inspect the aftermath of storms and tornadoes.

The new partnership will not only allow the National Weather Service (NWS) to quickly assess storm damage, but drone footage will also be able to inform investigation into tornado behavior. There’s still a lot scientists don’t know about tornadoes. A better understanding of how they form could help the NWS issue earlier and more accurate warnings to people, which could ultimately help save lives.

“This collaboration has the potential to demonstrate how partnerships with Verizon and other organizations to collect drone imagery can significantly improve the services provided by the NWS to the public and partners in the event of a disaster,” Tim Oram, Weather Services Branch Chief of the NWS Southern Region Headquarters, said in a Press release yesterday.

Tornadoes often come out of supercell storms, the type of storm that can produce a tall, anvil-shaped cloud. But exactly how, when and why tornadoes form is still an open area of ​​research. The impact of climate change on tornadoes is even greater mystery solve.

Drones can give scientists a new perspective as they try to answer these questions. After a storm, National Weather Service employees fan out to research the aftermath and collect data that can improve forecasts for future tornadoes. But drones can more quickly reach places that are more difficult to traverse, especially if the storm leaves behind blocked roads and shattered infrastructure. They also provide higher resolution images than satellites of the past.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) – which houses the NWS – already uses drones for hurricane research and disaster response. It’s new Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with Verizon Frontline lasts three years and aims to boost this work with access to a larger fleet of drones. Verizon Frontline, the telecommunications first responder network, says it will also provide personnel as needed to quickly deploy drones after a storm.

“What we aim to do through our partnership with NOAA is develop ways to get high-resolution imagery to these agencies much faster than they can today, using our robust network and rapid mapping capabilities,” Chris Sanders, senior manager for NOAA Verizon Frontline crisis response team, said in the press release.