2016 ANNUAL REVIEW Ministry of Science and Technology

in the basins of the Yilan River and Kaohsiung's Tianbao River, and more than 88 million total pieces of data have been accumulated. Apart from helping government service units to enhance the quality of their observation data and better plan watershed management and flood early warning operations, TTFRI has used this large body of observation data to develop value-added watershed disaster prevention applications and technology. b. Development of real-time automated flow estimation technology TTFRI has been cooperating with the Institute of Planning and Hydraulic Research, Water Resources Agency, Ministry of Economic Affairs in the development of "real-time automated river flow estimation technology" employing the large body of observation data derived from Taiwan's experimental watersheds. This approach relies on the use of comparison of different types of measurements, seeks to establish correspondences, and then relies on measurement data from microwave radar surface flow meter and radar water level gauges to automatically, accurately estimate river flow in real-time. The system further analyzes whether downstream areas may have flooding, and assists in providing early warning. c. Establishment of an unmanned aircraft sounding squadron TTFRI has established an unmanned aircraft sounding system able to enhance Taiwan's ability to directly observe extreme weather conditions. This system possesses automatic take-off, landing, and navigation control functions; the unmanned aircraft has completed long endurance (over 17 hours) and long-distance (over 1,300 km) test missions. In the future, these unmanned aircraft will enter typhoons and strong convection centers to collect important meteorological data, which it is hoped can improve the accuracy of typhoon track forecasting and disaster mitigation and relief decisions. d. Establishment of an MPAS global model TTFRI uses an MPAS (Model for Prediction Across Scales) model to perform daily forecasting experiments providing a forecast for the next 10 days, and assess the stability and predictability of extended forecasts when typhoons strike Taiwan. Preliminary results indicate that extended forecasts made using MPAS can generally pinpoint typhoon movements. In the future, TTFRI will continue to R&D use the MPAS model in providing 5-10 day extended rainfall forecasts for reservoir watershed areas. e. Development of forward-looking observation technology TTFRI has relied on observations using dual polarimetric radar that it has deployed in a mountainous area of Kaohsiung together with disdrometer data to improve radar rainfall estimation formulas. Preliminary results display that the accuracy of the improved dual polarimetric radar rainfall estimation formula is at least 10% better than that of the traditional radar rainfall estimation formula. The results of this project will be provided to the Central Weather Bureau as a reference for future regional rainfall radar observations and flood forecasts. TTFRI's unmanned aircraft prepared for a runway take off Support for Academic Research Ministry of Science and Technology 71