Skip to main content

The NOAA’s new Coyote drone flies straight into hurricanes to gather much-needed data

Drones do a lot of things these days. They can take pictures, deliver packages, and even aid in the reforestation effort by planting trees — and soon they’ll have yet another bullet point on their collective resume. Following successful tests on the NOAA’s new Hurricane Hunter UAV earlier this month, it looks like drones might soon make hurricane forecasts much, much better.

If you’re not familiar, Hurricane Hunters are aircraft that fly into the worst weather imaginable: the turbulent skies of tropical storms and hurricanes. The data they collect is invaluable, and helps forecasters understand the strength of these massive weather events from tens of thousands of feet in the air. To get a better idea of what’s happening at the surface, they rely on dropping packages of sensors, called dropsondes.

Recommended Videos

There’s a problem with that, though: physics and the fluid nature of our atmosphere tells you that dropping something into strong winds makes it difficult to pinpoint where it’s going to reach the surface. Since forecasters are most interested in knowing what’s happening with hurricanes closest to the center — where winds are strongest and the pressure lowest — this isn’t the best solution.

This is where drones come in. Because of their small size, they’re able to fly at much, much lower altitudes than standard sized aircraft. The NOAA’s “Coyote,” as it’s called, attaches to the bottom of the Hurricane Hunter aircraft and launches when the aircraft is close to the center of the storm.

Coyote_approach
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Coyote already has real-world testing under its belt: in 2014, prototypes were flown in Hurricane Edouard as low as 400 feet, successfully collecting real-time data on atmospheric air pressure, temperature, moisture, wind speed and direction as well as surface temperature.

January’s tests were aimed at improving Coyote, enabling it to fly longer and further away from the aircraft. Tests confirmed that the drone’s operators could successfully receive data as far as 50 miles away, a nearly eight-fold increase over the drones that flew into Edouard. They also successfully tested a new infrared sensor aimed at measuring sea-surface temperatures.

That was one of the biggest breakthroughs, as a more thorough understanding of ocean temperatures underneath a hurricane is crucial. If sea-surface temperatures are warmer than anticipated, a hurricane might have extra fuel to cause an unexpected burst in strength, and cooler might portend a weakening storm.

NOAA is pleased with Coyote’s performance so far. “This successful flight gives us additional confidence that we will be able to use this unique platform to collect critical continuous observations at altitudes in the lower part of a hurricane, an area that would otherwise be impossible to reach with manned aircraft,” NOAA researcher Joe Cione says.

Meteorologists are salivating at the opportunity for additional data where traditionally there has been a hole, or at best, estimates of what they’d expect to be occurring based on the current state of the science. The data will be ingested into weather models to improve intensity forecasting, and will improve accuracy of current storm strength.

“Coyote could help us paint a better picture of current storm intensity for our storm updates,” the National Hurricane Center’s science operations officer Chris Landsea says.

NOAA has not specified any time frame when it expects Coyote to see regular use in Hurricane Hunter flights, although it seems likely more real-world tests will occur during the 2016 Atlantic hurricane season.

Ed Oswald
For fifteen years, Ed has written about the latest and greatest in gadgets and technology trends. At Digital Trends, he's…
The Ioniq 5 is once again eligible for the $7,500 tax credit
2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5

After a brief and confusing absence, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 is once again eligible for the full $7,500 federal tax credit — and this time, it's sticking around (at least for now). So, what happened? Let’s unpack the ride.

The Ioniq 5, a sleek and tech-savvy electric crossover, initially made headlines not just for its design, but for being built at Hyundai’s brand-new Metaplant in Georgia. That domestic assembly qualified it for the EV tax credit under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which requires vehicles to be made in North America with batteries sourced from trade-friendly countries. But early in 2025, the Ioniq 5 vanished from the list. Why? Likely due to its battery packs, which were then still being sourced from SK On’s Hungarian facility.

Read more
Sebastian Stan lays out Bucky’s future after Thunderbolts
Sebastian Stan in Thunderbolts.

There are some spoilers ahead for the ending of Marvel's Thunderbolts. Stop reading now if you don't want to be spoiled.

Earlier this year, Captain America: Brave New World briefly introduced a new direction for James "Bucky" Barnes, a character Sebastian Stan has been playing since 2011 in Captain America: The First Avenger. In Brave New World, the former Winter Soldier apparently retired from being a reformed hero and went into politics by running for Congress. Thunderbolts reveals that Bucky won his election to the House of Representatives. But his stay in Congress was short.

Read more
Jeep Compass EV breaks cover—but will it come to the U.S.?
jeep compass ev us newjeepcompassfirsteditionhawaii  4

Jeep just pulled the wraps off the all-new Compass EV, and while it’s an exciting leap into the electric future, there's a catch—it might not make it to the U.S. anytime soon.
This is a brand new electric version of the Jeep Compass, and being built on Stellantis' STLA platform—the same architecture underpinning models like the Peugeot E-3008 and E-5008—it looks much slicker and packs a lot more inside than previous versions of the Compass.
Let’s start with what’s cool: the new Compass EV is packing up to 404 miles of range on a single charge, a 74 kWh battery, and fast-charging that gets you from 20% to 80% in about 30 minutes. Not bad for a compact SUV with Jeep's badge on the nose.
There are two versions: a front-wheel-drive model with 213 horsepower and a beefier all-wheel-drive version with 375 horsepower. That AWD setup isn’t just for looks—it can handle 20% inclines even without front traction, and comes with extra ground clearance and better off-road angles. In short, it’s still a Jeep.
The design's been refreshed too, and inside you’ll find the kind of tech and comfort you’d expect in a modern EV—sleek, smart, and ready for both city streets and dirt trails.
But here’s the thing: even though production starts soon in Italy, Jeep hasn’t said whether the Compass EV is coming to America. And the signs aren’t promising.
Plans to build it in Canada were recently put on hold, with production now delayed until at least early 2026. Some of that might have to do with possible U.S. tariffs on Canadian and Mexican vehicles—adding a layer of uncertainty to the whole rollout.
According to Kelley Blue Book, a Stellantis spokesperson confirmed that the company has “temporarily paused work on the next-generation Jeep Compass, including activities at” the Canadian plant that was originally meant to build the model. They added that Stellantis is “reassessing its product strategy in North America” to better match customer needs and demand for different powertrain options.
So while Europe and other markets are gearing up to get the Compass EV soon, American drivers might be left waiting—or miss out entirely.
That’s a shame, because on paper, this electric Jeep hits a lot of sweet spots. Let’s just hope it finds a way over here.

Read more