THIS PROPOSAL SEEKS TO EXAMINE POTENTIAL GUST AND TURBULENCE DETECTION STRATEGIES DEVELOPED FOR HIGH ALTITUDE ATMOSPHERIC STUDIES USING LIGHT-WEIGHT COMPACT LOW-COST INSTRUMENTATION SUITABLE FOR USE ON SUAS. THE DATA FROM THESE FLIGHTS WILL CONTRIBUTE TO ADVANCING OUR UNDERSTANDING OF TURBULENCE AND IN-SITU RESOURCE UTILIZATION AT STRATOSPHERIC ALTITUDES. OUR APPROACH IS TO EQUIP THE HIDRON A HIGH ALTITUDE BALLOON-LAUNCHED GLIDER WITH A SENSOR PACKAGE PREVIOUSLY DEVELOPED FOR SUAS INVESTIGATIONS OF ATMOSPHERIC TURBULENCE AT LOW ALTITUDES COUPLED WITH AN INFRASONIC (SUB-AUDIBLE FREQUENCY) SENSOR. THIS SENSOR PACKAGE BE USED ASSESS THE FEASIBILITY OF DETECTING THE INFRASONIC SIGNATURE OF TURBULENCE USING A SINGLE MICROPHONE MOUNTED ON AN SUAS AS WELL AS TO INVESTIGATE THE POTENTIAL OF USING IN-SITU UTILIZATION OF A REDUCED ORDER MODEL TO FORWARD-PREDICT THE PRESENCE OF TURBULENCE AT HIGH ALTITUDES. THE USE OF THESE TWO APPROACHES PROVIDES A TWO-FACTOR APPROACH TO DETECT TURBULENCE BEFORE THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERS IT ALLOWING AUTOMATED FLIGHT CONTROLLERS TO PERFORM RISK MITIGATION MANEUVERS.