Smart Sensor for Snow Avalanche Monitoring

This research project aims at developing prototype low-cost avalanche sensor that can be deployed by unmanned aircraft (drones) to inaccessible slopes above Washington State Department of Transportation's (WSDOT’s) roadways to provide direct snowpack information to support the assessment of avalanche risk. The sensor units will have the following characteristics: (1) provide remote temperature and snow movement information (using a Global Positioning System (GPS) and/or acceleration sensors) on the snowpack in support of assessing avalanche risk and avalanche activity; (2) low enough cost (less than $100) that occasional loss of a sensor is acceptable and so that multiple sensors can be used in an avalanche release zone of interest; (3) a light and rugged shell so the sensor can be dropped and recovered (Max weight 0.5 kilogram); (4) a shell shape so the sensor will remain in the snow below the drone after it is released and will not roll or bounce down a slope; (5) bright color with a label with return information to facilitate manual recovery after snowmelt; (6) long term battery power for operations over a winter (6 months); (7) able to communicate with signal receiving tower via Wi Fi network or a cellular connection; and (8) long range communication (> 300 meters). The sensor will be designed to form a network of the sensors deployed in an avalanche release zone above a roadway for area-wide data collection and avalanche risk monitoring.

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $20000
• Contract Numbers:

  T1461-AG

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Washington State Department of Transportation

  Transportation Building
  Olympia, WA  United States  98504
• Managing Organizations:

  Washington State Department of Transportation

  Transportation Building
  Olympia, WA  United States  98504
• Performing Organizations:

  University of Washington, Seattle

  Civil and Environmental Engineering Department
  201 More Hall, Box 352700
  Seattle, WA  United States  98195-2700
• Principal Investigators:

  Wang, Yinhai

• Start Date: 20230815
• Expected Completion Date: 20240515
• Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Avalanches; Data collection; Drones; Monitoring; Risk assessment; Sensors
• Geographic Terms: Washington (State)
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Highways; Maintenance and Preservation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01902111
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Washington State Department of Transportation
• Contract Numbers: T1461-AG
• Files: RIP, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Dec 14 2023 1:39PM