NOAA uses drone to study hurricane

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has joined the growing ranks of drone operators, sending an unmanned craft into Hurricane Edouard this week.

Called Coyote, the unmanned aircraft was designed to penetrate the eye walls of hurricanes and tropical storms and gather wind speed, temperature and pressure readings below 3,000 feet — where manned aircraft can not safely fly, according to NOAA. The $1.3 million project was funded by a special appropriations bill related to damages from Hurricane Sandy (2012).

The Coyote was launched from a NOAA hurricane hunter aircraft (Lockheed Martin P-3 Orion). The drones have a two-hour flight time, during which they gather information near the ocean surface. Forecasters hope readings from just above the surface will better allow them to predict storm tracks and intensity.

The drone can be controlled from miles away but is now being used by operators aboard the hurricane hunter.

The Coyote was developed for the Navy for maritime surveillance. The drone is packed into a sonobuoy tube and dropped from the main aircraft. A parachute helps slow the fall. The tube separates from the Coyote, which spreads its wings and is powered by a single rear propeller.

Coyote is capable of 70 mph cruising speeds, according to Navy records, and can operate as high as 20,000 feet above sea level.

DEP hits $40M goal

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection passed its goal of selling off $40 million of non-conservation land to fund future preserve purchases.

DEP has sold several closed prisons and hospitals this year, garnering nearly $44 million that will be put into the 2014-15 budget as conservation funds.

Most of the funds came from the sale of the Broward County Correctional Institute ($13.5 million) and the A.G. Holley State Hospital in Palm Beach County ($15.6 million).

Prisons in Hillsborough, Hendry and Glades counties were also sold. The money will go into the Florida Forever program, which has 707,740 acres at a cost of $2.89 billion since 2001, according to DEP records.

Florida has nearly 10 million acres of managed conservation lands, according to DEP.

Seasonal rains should end soon

Although the rainy season doesn't officially end until Nov. 2, rainfall totals in Lee and coastal Collier counties start to wane during the later half of September.

On average, this region gets 56.67 inches of rain, and about half of that total falls in the months of June, July and August. September brings, on average, 8.2 inches, which is on pace with the previous three months.

The rate, however, falls off as the month comes to and end. October brings 3.58 inches, according to district records.

The current rainy season has brought just over 40 inches to the region, which is 5.15 inches below average.

— compiled by Chad Gillis