Huge drone heading to pole to gather environmental data for Cambridge's British Antarctic Survey

A huge drone will be sent to Antarctica to collect data which scientists hope will greatly contribute towards environmental research.

The pilotless plane is being used by British Antarctic Survey and will head to the region in January 2024 for three months testing.

The Cambridge-based company is hoping the drone will be able to help polar scientists better understand the region and its impact on global climate issues.

Designed for extreme environments, the aircraft is fully autonomous with a 10-metre wingspan and is capable of carrying 100kg of cargo up to 1,000km (620 miles).

The drone - built by Windracers and named the Ultra UAV - can take off, fly and land safely with minimal support from the ground thanks to its sophisticated autopilot system, said BAS.

BAS interim science director Dr Dominic Hodgson said: “At BAS, we are changing our approach to science by increasing the use of autonomous platforms, such as UAVs and autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), to collect data.

"By deploying unpiloted platforms, such as the Windracers Ultra, British Antarctic Survey has the potential to scale up airborne science and accelerate research, given the dramatic increases in flight time and geographic coverage that these enable."  

He added: “UAV drones will allow us to gather new and a broader range of science data in an effective, lower-carbon and lower cost manner than traditional crewed aviation – with the added benefit of greater levels of safety.” 

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