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About The OTUS Project

The OTUS Project is a self-funded nonprofit research mission founded by students in meteorology and engineering, dedicated to advancing tornado research through innovative UAV technology. By combining cutting-edge drones, advanced software, and custom sensor systems, OTUS captures critical data from within and around tornadoes to improve public safety and forecasting.

Their mission is to save lives and protect property by deepening the scientific understanding of tornado dynamics. The OTUS Project focus is on enhancing structural resilience through the study of wind forces and gathering high-resolution thermodynamic data to refine predictive models and hazard forecasts.

Over the past two years, the OTUS Project has redefined what’s possible in tornado research. Since receiving a rare operational waiver from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in 2024, OTUS has successfully piloted small Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (sUAS) through 12 tornadoes, including a historic flight through a multi-vortex tornado under full manual control. To date, the team has achieved over a dozen drone penetrations, including 9 direct center/core intercepts—capturing high-resolution thermodynamic data and near-surface 3D wind load measurements from inside the heart of the storms. These unprecedented missions are fueling the development of next-generation wind sensors and advancing real-time forecasting and structural engineering to better protect lives and communities.

Drone Intercepts to Date

Date Location EF Rating # Drones Inside
5/23/2024 Duke, OK EF2 1
5/16/2025 Crowder, MO EF3 2
5/18/2025 Higgins, TX EF1 2
5/18/2025 Arnett, OK EF3 1
5/23/2025 Hillrose, CO EF1 1
6/05/2025 Morton, TX EF2 1
6/20/2025 Spiritwood, ND EF2 2
6/20/2025 Fort Ransom, ND EF2 1
6/22/2025 Grygla, MN EF1 1

The OTUS Documentary Series

The OTUS Project Documentary is a Series follows this fearless team of young innovators as they push the boundaries of weather science. Your support helps amplify their groundbreaking work—capturing the story behind the science, collecting real-time tornado data, and driving innovation in early warning systems and building design.

Together, we can save lives, empower science, and protect communities from future disasters.

TEAM OTUS
 
Nelson Tucker – A tornado expert with an encyclopedic memory for storm history, Nelson founded OTUS to push storm science further than anyone thought possible. His deep knowledge, obsession with data quality that could save lives, and commitment to his team make him the brain, heart, and soul behind the mission.
 
Louis Tucker – A world-class FPV drone champion and builder, Louis designs, prototypes, and pilots the OTUS drones with unmatched skill and creative flair, pushing the limits of drone performance inside chaotic storm environments. His technical acumen with drone tactics and performance enables him to dodge debris and navigate the tremendous forces raging inside a tornado, piloting past obstacles that would do in most pilots in each intercept.

Tanner Beard – A spacecraft engineer and systems architect, Tanner is the architect of OTUS’s high-performance 3D-printed drones. Blending aerospace precision with bold vision, Tanner brings engineering rigor and fearless leadership to the most dangerous mission in weather science. With MacGyver-like skill, welding antenna control panels, rigging chase vehicles, and cooking up whatever contraption is needed in the moment, Tanner super-charges whatever OTUS undertakes.
 
Erik Fox – A retired Army veteran, seasoned storm chaser, meteorologist, and president of the National Storm Chaser Summit. Erik brings decades of field experience, leadership, and an unshakable dedication to the safety and future of the storm chasing community. As an essential mentor and safety lead for the chase, Erik safely guides OTUS to the most stunning intercepts possible.
 
Louis Tucker - Father of Louis and Nelson - A retired Navy SEAL and former CIA officer, and now business consultant adding moral support and essential backup to the team, driving OTUS on the long hauls between supercells and filling in as the driver on select chases.

FILM TEAM | Paradeigm Films

Directed By:
Stephen Brucher is a documentary filmmaker and director based in Leawood, Kansas, originally from San Diego. He specializes in capturing raw, cinematic stories that drive global impact—focusing on severe weather, science, technology, and innovation. As Director and Producer of the OTUS Project, Stephen embeds with a fearless team of scientists, engineers, and storm chasers as they push the limits of what’s possible to better understand and protect our world. With a vérité style that puts viewers directly in the action, his films reveal the human courage behind cutting-edge science. Through Paradeigm Originals, Stephen partners with nonprofits, researchers, and mission-driven brands to produce films that educate, inspire, and create lasting change. Your support helps bring these stories to life—and helps the OTUS team continue their groundbreaking work in the field.

Produced By:
Jennifer Watson is an Emmy-winning meteorologist, storm chaser, and TV personality known for her work on The Weather Channel’s Weather Gone Viral and Weird Earth. A lifelong weather enthusiast turned expert communicator, she has spent her career tracking extreme storms, delivering life-saving forecasts, and helping the public better understand the science behind severe weather. Jennifer’s passion for meteorology was cemented after witnessing the devastating Moore, Oklahoma tornado in 1999, leading her to earn advanced degrees in Geography and Geoscience. From covering deadly tornado outbreaks in the Deep South to deploying infrasound sensors in the field, she blends scientific rigor with a natural gift for storytelling. As co-host of Storm Front Freaks, one of the top-rated weather podcasts, she continues to elevate conversations around climate, communication, and public safety. Now, as Producer of the OTUS Project, Jennifer brings her expertise, leadership, and heart to a mission-driven team working to inspire, educate, and protect communities through groundbreaking, science-driven filmmaking.

Editors: Bryan Wibberley, Matthew Clark Rogers
Co-Producer: Thomas Love
Strategic Partnerships: Coreen G. Petti

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