In 2020, the U.S. Department of Defense invested 2.4 billion dollars in Air Force training and recruitment. Despite this large investment, training in thunderstorm dynamics and avoidance remains insufficient. General aviation accidents result in estimated annual costs between 1.6 to 4.6 billion dollars. For example, in 2018, general aviation pilots were involved in 23 weather-related accidents of which 21 were fatal. Passive training material (video, text, image, etc.) rarely provide the freedom to combine various hazard and weather information simultaneously. Active in-flight training provides realistic experiences, but is extremely time consuming, limits the number of experiences, and is unpredictable in terms of the types of weather encountered. To address this problem, an Augmented Reality (AR) thunderstorm model was developed and evaluated. By utilizing AR, pilot trainees can interact with a 3D thunderstorm in a cost-effective, accessible, and engaging environment.
This paper describes the design and development of an AR 3D thunderstorm model. To ensure pilot trainees fully understand the dynamics of a thunderstorm, the model had to be dynamic, realistic, and volumetric. Particle systems were utilized for their flexibility and variation to represent a realistic thunderstorm cell with visible hazards and precipitation. To overcome the challenge of dynamically changing weather information, a specialized shader was created to display different color information based on its location in a cloud and time during the cycle. With the incorporation of the interactable thunderstorm model and low-cost mobile AR application, this framework provided an engaging and immersive training experience with a realistic visualization. An initial evaluation of the training tool was performed in a class of aviation students and received positive feedback while showing significant improvement in learning outcomes. This evaluation suggests that this tool could be a useful aid in training pilots about the dynamics and dangers of thunderstorms during flight.