NDBC's Drifting Buoy Program Drifting Buoy Program Realtime and historical data from NDBC drifting buoys, and a map of current NDBC drifter locations , are now online. NDBC is a national leader in the design, development, acquisition, and operational use of drifting buoys.
Drifters are expendable systems launched from ships or aircraft into specific ocean areas.
As they drift in response to ocean currents and winds, they make measurements of the atmospheric pressure, air and sea temperature, wind speed, and wind direction. Because these satellites are not geostationary, data are available only when the orbiting satellite is within sight of the buoy. At that time, the buoy data are sent to the spacecraft. A buoy's position is determined each time a message is processed, thus allowing drift determination. The special ground stations receive both the real time and stored measurements from the satellite, then relay them to facilities operated by Service Argos, Inc., in Landover, Maryland.