Methods and systems for altitude control of balloons to improve wind data

A method comprising:

• determining, by a computing device, a flight plan for each of one or more balloons, wherein the one or more balloons are operating as part of a balloon network, wherein the balloon network is operable for data communications, and wherein determining the flight plan for at least one of the one or more balloons comprises determining a planned altitude based at least in part on a wind model indicating predicted wind data at a plurality of altitudes and acquisition of wind data for the wind model;
• sending, by the computing device, one or more instructions to the one or more balloons for which a flight plan is determined to implement the respectively-determined flight plan, wherein the one or more instructions to a given one of the balloons indicate to:
• navigate to one or more altitudes, wherein the one or more altitudes is less or greater than the planned altitude;
• and
• receive wind data at each altitude of the one or more altitudes, wherein the wind data indicates an actual wind condition at a respective altitude of the one or more altitudes;
• receiving, by the computing device, the wind data from at least one balloon of the one or more balloons for which a flight plan is implemented;
• and
• updating, by the computing device, the wind model based at least in part on the received wind data.

A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored therein instructions executable by a computing device to cause the computing device to perform functions, the functions comprising:

• determining a flight plan for each of one or more balloons, wherein the one or more balloons are operating as part of a balloon network, wherein the balloon network is operable for data communications, and wherein determining the flight plan for at least one of the one or more balloons comprises determining a planned altitude based at least in part on a wind model indicating predicted wind data at a plurality of altitudes and acquisition of wind data for the wind model;
• sending instructions to the one or more balloons for which a flight plan is determined to implement the respectively-determined flight plan, wherein the instructions to a given one of the balloons indicate to:
• navigate to one or more altitudes, wherein the one or more altitudes is less or greater than the planned altitude;
• and
• receive wind data at each altitude of the one or more altitudes, wherein the wind data indicates an actual wind condition at a respective altitude of the one or more altitudes;
• receiving the wind data from at least one balloon of the one or more balloons for which a flight plan is implemented;
• and
• updating the wind model based at least in part on the received wind data.

A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored therein instructions executable by a computing device to cause the computing device to perform functions, the functions comprising:

• analyzing a wind model to identify one or more locations in a coverage area of a balloon network where updated wind data is desirable, wherein the balloon network comprises a plurality of balloons that are configured to provide data service, and wherein the one or more locations where updated wind data is desirable comprises one or more locations where existing wind data is incomplete, inaccurate, or out of date;
• determining a flight plan for each of the one or more balloons in the balloon network, wherein each flight plan comprises a planned altitude, and wherein at least one flight plan is determined based at least in part on both:
• (a) the one or more locations where updated wind data is desirable and (b) data-service requirements in the coverage area of the balloon network;
• and
• sending each determined flight plan for implementation by the corresponding balloon, wherein sending each determined flight plan comprises sending one or more instructions to the corresponding balloon that indicate to:
• (a) navigate to the corresponding planned altitude and (b) receive wind data at the corresponding planned altitude, and wherein the wind data indicates an actual wind condition at the corresponding planned altitude.