Sometimes military gear isn’t going to be limited to just the military, as Global Hawk, a sophisticated high altitude UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) surveillance aircraft, has recently been fitted with scientific instruments and completed 82.5 flight hours cruising at latitudes ranging from the Arctic Circle to just near the equator as part of an ongoing civilian research program known as GloPac (Global Hawk Pacific Program), which aims to study atmospheric conditions over the Pacific and Arctic oceans. When cruising at 45,000 to 65,000 feet, it enables scientists to retrieve data about greenhouse gasses and ozone depleting substances through measurements of dust, smoke, and pollutants. While it’s nice to see scientists be able to get access to military gear, we’re looking forward to the day that civilians get access to the cool devices that the military get to play with everyday.
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