Dragoon Prepares to Launch Coriolis UAS into Hurricane with NOAA

Dragoon's Coriolis UAS on a test flight in Florida

July 16, 2025. Dragoon is preparing to send its Coriolis unmanned aircraft system (UAS) into an active hurricane in partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). This effort follows a successful ser

ies of clear-air test flights conducted in late June, where Dragoon and NOAA achieved several key milestones that pave the way for operational deployment.

To reach storms far offshore, Dragoon’s Coriolis UAS must operate well beyond the limitations of standard Part 107 regulations. Working closely with NOAA and the FAA, Dragoon secured special authorization to transit off the Florida coast into shared airspace with NOAA’s P-3 Hurricane Hunter aircraft. This capability to deploy a long-range, cost-effective UAS far offshore represents a major advance in hurricane data collection.

To maintain connectivity over the Coriolis's 15+ hour flight duration, Dragoon integrated a Starlink Mini terminal into the aircraft. During June’s test flights, Dragoon successfully demonstrated real-time, beyond-line-of-sight (BVLOS) communication, streaming live weather data from the aircraft back to NOAA’s teams on the ground.

Weather measurements collected onboard Coriolis will be compared to those from NOAA’s P-3 aircraft.  Leading up to the June test campaign, Dragoon and NOAA collaborated closely to overcome both technical and regulatory challenges. The recent successful system demonstration represents a new, scalable capability for NOAA—helping the agency collect more storm data at lower cost, ultimately enhancing forecasts and improving public safety.