The new initiative will support the growth of next-generation transportation technologies in a safe and reliable way, according to a news release from Hillwood, which has partnered with TruWeather Solutions.
These transportation technologies include drone delivery, autonomous trucking and electric vertical takeoff and landing [eVTOL] aircrafts.
How it happened
The public-private partnership includes TruWeather Solutions, Hillwood, the city of Fort Worth and the North Central Texas Council of Governments.
The project includes funding from a NASA Small Business Innovation Research Award and a U.S. Department of Transportation SMART Grant awarded to the city of Fort Worth in collaboration with the NCTCOG, according to a news release.
The grant was for developing and piloting a micro-weather network that will enhance safety and efficiency for intermodal and autonomous transportation. More than 20 advanced weather and wind sensors will be deployed at locations throughout AllianceTexas, which include:
- Fixed Base Operation at Perot Field Fort Worth Alliance Airport
- AllianceTexas Flight Test Center at Perot Field Fort Worth Alliance Airport
- Alliance Gateway 57, located at 1051 Republic Dr., Roanoke
What else?
Researchers will begin reviewing sensor data to optimize low-altitude operations and quantify how incorporating micro-weather information into planning can enhance the efficiency of transportation systems. Additional phases of the project will continue into 2026, according to a news release.
“By hosting our most advanced low-altitude wind sensors at critical locations across AllianceTexas, Hillwood is helping create a data-rich environment that allows us to understand wind patterns better and improve the safety and efficiency of drone and air taxi operations in urban environments,” said Don Berchoff, CEO and founder of TruWeather Solutions. “The collaborative, public-private support we have received has been instrumental in turning the innovative concepts of our Virginia company into an operational reality.”
Berchoff, formerly the Science and Technology Director at the National Weather Service, created TruWeather in 2015. The company collaborated with the Air Force to develop weather-risk management strategies, resulting in a 40% reduction in the impact of weather, according to its website.
