DETERMINATION OF CLEAR-SKY RADIATIVE FLUX PROFILES, HEATING RATES ANDOPTICAL DEPTHS USING UNMANNED AEROSPACE VEHICLES AS A PLATFORM

In this paper the authors report results obtained using an unmanned ae rospace vehicle (UAV) as an experimental platform for atmospheric radi ative transfer research. These are the first ever climate measurements made from a UAV and represent a major step forward in realizing the u nique potential of long-endurance, high-altitude UAVs to contribute to climate and environmental studies. Furthermore, the radiative flux di vergences determined during these experiments are some of the highest quality measurements of this kind obtained from any type of aircraft a nd constitute an important test of radiative transfer models.