A Balloon-Assisted Gliding UAV for Aerosol Observation in Antarctica

A novel aerosol observation and sampling system using a combination of a balloon and a UAV is developed in order to retrieve observation apparatuses and aerosol samples easily at low cost. Observation apparatuses are installed on a motor-glider UAV named Phoenix, and the apparatuses conduct observation and sampling during ascent of the Phoenix suspended by a free balloon. The Phoenix is automatically separated from the balloon at a target altitude, returns to the ground station by gliding automatically, and it is retrieved with the use of a parachute. Four sets of this system were prepared and brought to Syowa Station which is one of the Japanese Antarctic Stations by the first- and the fourth-named authors as summer team members of the 54th Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition (JARE54) in December 2012. Five observation flights were conducted in January 2013 using Phoenix-03. Aerosol observation and sampling in the five flights were successfully performed up to 10,000 m in altitude. Details of the Phoenix and flight results are described in this paper.