The Air-deployed Profiling Instruments Group (APIG) works towards continuous improvements in ocean observations and data collection. Air-deployed profiling instrumentation is capable of making targeted, sustained measurements of upper ocean temperature, salinity, currents, and waves. Profiling floats contain a buoyancy engine that propels the float up and down in the water column. Sensors on the float measure temperature, salinity, and pressure as the float ascends, recording a profile of ocean structure. When the float reaches the surface, an antenna extends above the waterline to make contact with satellites in order to determine location and to send data back to shore. A key feature of these instruments is the miniaturization of all the components in order to reduce the overall size of the instrument to dimensions which can be deployed via a sonobuoy launch tube on an aircraft.

These profilers have the same dimensions as an Airborne Expendable BathyThermograph (AXBT) and weigh about 9 kg. Upon launch, the floats parachute to the surface, detach and automatically begin their programmed mission, and are capable of making ocean observations for months to over a year.  The capability for aircraft deployment provides for rapid-response deployments necessary for studying hurricanes and other storms. Rather than mustering a slow-moving ship, air-deployable floats can utilize Hurricane Hunter type aircraft to seed large numbers of instruments in and around developing hurricanes. Other sampling methods observe only one profile, but a profiling float will linger in the area long after the plane has gone, continuing to make measurements in real time to the forecasting community via the Global Telecommunication System (GTS) and Internet.

Air-deployed profilers are useful equipment for hurricane deployments as well as Arctic and Antarctic deployments and provide valuable real-time data. This allows persistent observations of the evolution of the ocean’s temperature before the passage of a storm (to improve the intensity forecast of the storm), during the storm (to observe the ocean mixing and development), and after the storm (to measure the subsequent restratification of the ocean).