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.
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