Italian research drones to investigate Arctic glaciers

(ANSA) - Rome, June 16 - Two Italian-designed and manufactured research drones will take part in a scientific mission kicking off Tuesday on the Kronebreen, Kongsbreen and Conwaybree glaciers on Norway's Svalbard archipelago in the Arctic Ocean.
    The drones are the brainchildren of the Institute for Research on Intelligent Automation Systems (ISSIA) at Italy's National Research Council (CNR).
    The mission will gather data and imagery that has never been gleaned before to study the thermal interchange between sea and ice in order to understand and forecast climate change more accurately, the CNR said.
    One of the drones is named Shark.
    "Shark will take environmental measurements and water samples...at the air-sea-ice interface" said ISSIA-CNR Director Massimo Caccia. It will navigate with support from a flying drone with eight propellers, who can photograph and videotape the surface of the glaciers.