Patent ID: 8629788

Claim:
A system, comprising: a sensor for coupling with a vehicle configured for atmospheric flight, the sensor for detecting a turbulence event, where the turbulence event is at least one of experienced by the vehicle or occurs proximal to the vehicle during atmospheric flight, control programming for distinguishing the turbulence event from a non-turbulence event and determining a severity of the turbulence event, wherein the severity of the turbulence event is determined at least partially based on a weight and acceleration of the vehicle; and a transmitter coupled with the sensor, the transmitter for automatically remotely transmitting data regarding the turbulence event and data regarding the severity of the turbulence event to a ground based entity, and wherein the sensor includes an Attitude Heading Reference System (AHRS) configured for measuring acceleration along three orthogonal axes of the vehicle, and the sensor reactively detects the turbulence event at least partially based on acceleration along three orthogonal axes of the vehicle measured utilizing the Attitude Heading Reference System.