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The NASA Armstrong scientists and a group of students are working to develop a small inexpensive glider. This glider will provide a significant amount of help in delivering more perfect weather forecasts. This specific device is called “WHAATRR” Weather Hazard Alert & Awareness Technology Radiation Radiosonde Glider. It is based on Mars-bound boomerang-shaped Prandtl-m drone of NASA. The agency indicated that it would save 15 million U.S dollars per year compared to the current mechanisms of the National Weather Service. The WHAATRR would have the capability to deliver faster and more reliable data. It can be used by NOAA (National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration) as an airborne platform for its experimental use. The final design hasn’t yet completed and the team is still working on it.

It is expected that it will have a wingspan of at least 3 feet made by double ply carbon fiber. After finalizing the design, they will start its test flight by using a weather balloon from 20 thousand feet. Then, the final version will be equipped with its entire essential sensors, instruments and flight control software prior to beginning a test flight of Glider from an estimated altitude of 100 thousand feet. It has been considered as a part of another series of tests. These entirely-equipped WHAATRRs will be piloted remotely toward predefined location. But, it is still unclear when these gliders will officially be launched. We know that the team of this project has some amount of funding to make it possible. The team has received at least 10 thousand U.S dollars in seed funding to finalize their major project.