Development of a Low Cost RWIS
PI: Billy Connor (UAF), bgconnor@alaska.edu
Dates: 12/16/2015-12/15/2016
This project will develop a prototype low cost, low maintenance Remote Weather Information System (RWIS.) Current RWIS cost in excess of $150,000. In remote areas they require expensive and high maintenance power generation system since small solar and wind power are unreliable in Alaska.
RWIS is used by maintenance to for snow and ice control decisions which directly affect the safety of the travelling public. The development of low cost RWIS will allow an increased number of systems to be deployed which in turn improves the weather and roadway condition information. This data will then be fed into the Maintenance Decision Support System (MDSS) which is used by maintenance to make decisions about when and where to deploy anti-icing equipment and snow plows.
The low cost RWIS will be developed in partnership with Weathercloud, Inc.
The system will be developed in two phases:
a) Development of specifications based on market requirements
b) Development and testing of a prototype system
Project staff will then work with State DOTs to field test the system to ensure the RWIS works properly before going to market. It is anticipated that the system can be marketed mid-2017.
