UAS measurements as part of the project WINSENT ("Wind Science and Engineering Test Site in Complex Terrain")

Wind energy is one of the key technologies in the transition to cleaner energy. WINSENT ("Wind Science and Engineering Test Site in Complex Terrain"), a project funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection (BMWK) and the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of the Environment, has established a wind energy test site in complex terrain, providing invaluable insights into the dynamics of wind energy in such environments.

Located on the Swabian Alb near Stuttgart, Germany, the site has unique features, including its proximity to a steep afforested edge and specialised equipment such as research wind turbines (RWTs) and meteorological measurement masts, which allow the study of the turbulent overflow of the seasonally changing slope and the behaviour of wind turbines in complex terrain.

The University of Tübingen is contributing to the project by carrying out in-situ measurements using fixed-wing and multi-copter uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) at the test site. These UAS are deployed in different positions, including the inflow, the slope, above and behind the test site, and resolve turbulent fluctuations down to the sub-metre range. Previous measurement campaigns (Intensive Operation Period, IOP) were carried out in the previous WINSENT project. In the followup WINSENTvalid project, additional IOPs will be carried out to collect in-situ measurement data to validate the numerical models developed by WINSENT. Furthermore, the impact of the newly constructed RWT on the airflow is being investigated by comparing it with pre-construction data.

The presentation will include a description of the test site, the IOPs carried out and a presentation of the first measurement data.