The detection, monitoring and prediction of hurricanes is increasingly important, with efforts to give early warning of impending emergencies and hazards. In order to warn people of potential hurricane hazards in advance, meteorologists need accurate and reliable detection and forecasting data. This requires special meteorological equipment, such as dropsondes and lightning data from the NLDN. There are also special types sondes, launched from an airplane into an ongoing hurricane. The Airborne Vertical Atmospheric Profiling System (AVAPS) is an advanced tool for weather reconnaissance, hurricane and weather research.