UAVs for the detection and tracking of intense tornadoes

A method for detecting genesis of an intense tornado, said method comprising:

• determining that a mesocyclone without an intense tornado has formed;
• flying an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) above the mesocyclone in a flight pattern where the mesocyclone is continuously monitorable from above by the UAV;
• and
• continuously monitoring the mesocyclone until detecting tornadic-stage-structure parameters using a plurality of sensors on the UAV that provide an indication that the mesocyclone has formed into an intense tornadic mesocyclone including a central eye surrounded by an eyewall, wherein detecting tomadic-stage-structure parameters includes using a radar detector to detect wind direction and speed in the tornadic-stage-structure, dropping one or more dropsonde sensors from the UAV that measure temperature, pressure, relative humidity and wind direction and send measurement data back to the UAV, using an imaging camera for providing downward-looking image data of the tornadic-stage-structure indicated by a depression in a top surface of an upper cloud deck of the mesocyclone, using passive microwave sensors for detecting temperature and humidity profiles in the tornadic-stage-structure, and using an infrared detector for detecting changes in heat in the tornadic-stage-structure.