QDAWS Performance Characterization
Long-Duration Intercomparison at Spirit of St. Louis Airport (KSUS)
Commissioned QDAWS installation at Spirit of St. Louis Airport during the long-duration performance characterization. The installation represents the configuration used for observations beginning 0000 UTC 13 September 2026.
Overview
The Quickly Deployable Automated Weather Station (QDAWS) Performance Characterization is a long-duration intercomparison study designed to evaluate the measurement and operational performance of QDAWS across a broad range of meteorological conditions. Following completion of system commissioning, QDAWS entered formal characterization alongside the Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS) at Spirit of St. Louis Airport (KSUS), with the formal study record beginning at 0000 UTC on 13 September 2026. The study will examine measurement agreement, temporal behavior, system reliability, data availability, and long-term stability while accounting for differences in instrumentation, sensor height, exposure, siting, and spatial representativeness between the observing systems. Rather than assuming that collocated observing systems should produce identical measurements, the characterization is intended to document and understand the conditions under which differences occur and establish a quantitative record of QDAWS performance suitable for informing future system development and atmospheric field research applications.
| Status |
| Study start |
| Location |
| Reference system |
| QDAWS configuration |
| Planned duration |
| Active |
| 13 September 2026, 0000 UTC |
| Spirit of St. Louis (KSUS), Missouri |
| Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS) |
| Commissioned production configuration |
| Approximately one year |
Objectives
The primary objective of the QDAWS Performance Characterization is to establish a quantitative, long-duration record of system performance under operational field conditions. The study is intended to characterize both measurement performance and the ability of QDAWS to operate reliably as an autonomous observing platform over an extended deployment.
Specific objectives include:
- Characterize measurement agreement between QDAWS and the KSUS ASOS for comparable meteorological variables, including temperature, humidity, pressure, wind speed, and direction.
- Evaluate temporal behavior across diurnal, synoptic, seasonal, and rapidly changing meteorological conditions to identify when and under what conditions measurement differences occur.
- Assess the influence of siting and representativeness, including differences in sensor height, exposure, instrumentation, and the spatial environment sampled by each observing system.
- Quantify operational reliability and data availability through evaluation of continuous operation, power-system performance, telemetry availability, data latency, onboard storage, and recovery of observations following communications interruptions.
- Evaluate long-term measurement stability to identify persistent offsets, changes in measurement behavior, or other trends that may develop during extended field operation.
- Inform future QDAWS development and deployment practices by using the characterization record to identify potential improvements in instrumentation, system architecture, quality-control procedures, and field methodology.
Study Configuration
The QDAWS Performance Characterization is being conducted using QDAWS 01 in its commissioned production configuration at Spirit of St. Louis Airport. The system was initially deployed adjacent to the KSUS ASOS on 25 July 2026 and subsequently underwent a commissioning period during which instrumentation, data acquisition, time synchronization, telemetry, onboard storage, and supporting diagnostic functions were evaluated and finalized. Following completion of commissioning, the system configuration was frozen for the formal characterization period beginning at 0000 UTC on 13 September 2026. Site geometry and surface characteristics were documented to support interpretation of observed differences between QDAWS and the KSUS ASOS.
Observing Systems
| Variable | QDAWS | KSUS Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Wind | R. M. Young 05103 | ASOS wind system, 10 m AGL |
| Temperature | Apogee Instruments ST-110 | Vaisala HMP155 PRT |
| Dew Point / Relative Humidity | Vaisala HMP155 | Vaisala HMP155 |
| Pressure | Setra 270 + quad-plate pressure port | 3 × Setra 470 |
| Solar radiation | Apogee Instruments SP-110 | No direct ASOS equivalent |
| Sampling/aggregation | QDAWS native observations | Operational ASOS products |
Note: The KSUS ASOS is equipped with the newer Vaisala HMP155-based temperature and relative humidity measurement system installed as part of the ongoing ASOS sensor modernization program.
Site Configuration
| Component / feature | Commissioned configuration |
|---|---|
| Hygrothermometer | 2.05 m AGL |
| Pyranometer | 1.53 m AGL |
| Wind Monitor | 3.00 m AGL |
| Barometric Pressure Sensor | 1.00 m AGL |
| Pressure port | 0.73 m AGL |
| Solar panel | 0.76 m AGL |
| Solar-panel tilt angle | 54° |
| Solar panel location relative to QDAWS | 1.76 m at 210° |
| Grass height | 0.20 m |
| Southern east–west road | 2.54 m |
| West service road | 1.90 m |
| QDAWS–ASOS separation | 41 m |
Site Configuration and Exposure
QDAWS and the KSUS ASOS are located in close proximity but do not represent identical observing environments. Differences in sensor height, immediate surface characteristics, nearby infrastructure, and exposure may produce physically meaningful differences between observations independent of instrument performance. This consideration is particularly important for wind measurements, for which the QDAWS Wind Monitor is installed at 3 m AGL compared with the 10 m AGL operational ASOS wind measurement. Consequently, the intercomparison is not intended to assume direct equivalence between all observations. Site and exposure characteristics are instead treated as part of the interpretation of observed differences throughout the characterization.
At commissioning, the QDAWS installation and surrounding environment were documented through physical measurements and photographic surveys. Documentation included sensor heights, immediate ground cover, nearby roads and other non-natural surfaces, surrounding obstructions, local topography and vegetation, and views towards and away both QDAWS and the KSUS ASOS.
Formal Characterization Period
QDAWS commissioning was completed on 12 September 2026. The formal characterization dataset begins at 0000 UTC 13 September 2026. Observations collected before this time represented development, commissioning, and preliminary intercomparison data and are not included in the formal characterization dataset.
Current Status
Study Active — September 2026
QDAWS is operating in its commissioned configuration at KSUS. Data collection for the formal characterization period began at 0000 UTC 13 September 2026. Results will be added as sufficient observational records become available for meaningful analysis.
→ View current QDAWS observations
Results and Publications
Analysis is ongoing. Results, technical documentation, and associated publications will be linked here as they become available.
© 2026 Met Instruments Project
Independent Atmospheric Observing Systems