INSIDE THE 6-TON VEHICLE THAT DRIVES INTO TORNADOES

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Promoted product

Dominator 3

TEAM DOMINATOR — undisputed champs of front-line severe weather

2 videos2 creators

Why it worked

The video combines extreme action (driving into tornadoes) with detailed technological explanations of a custom-built vehicle. This blend of danger, scientific pursuit, and impressive engineering appeals to a wide audience interested in weather phenomena and specialized machinery.

Summary

This video showcases the Dominator 3, a 6-ton vehicle designed by storm chaser Reed Timmer to drive into tornadoes. The video highlights its advanced technology, including an aerodynamic exterior, hydraulics, airbag suspension, air cannons for launching sensors, a polycarbonate protective exterior, and a Starlink satellite internet setup for live streaming and data collection. The vehicle has been used in approximately 50 tornadoes and other extreme weather events.

Structure

1Introduction of the Dominator 3 and its purpose
2Explanation of its aerodynamic exterior and anchoring capabilities
3Details on the technology used for data collection and live streaming (Starlink, sensors, air cannons)

Original caption

How does a six-ton vehicle survive driving directly into 50 tornadoes? 🌪️ Stormchaser Reed Timmer took us inside the Dominator 3 – an extreme tech machine built to drop flush to the ground and anchor itself against 200 mph winds. Between an internal supercomputer, air cannons launching sensors, and a hail-proofed Starlink setup, this rig is loaded with incredible gear to stream live inside severe storms. 📱 Head to PCMag’s YouTube Channel to check out the full teardown of this stormchasing machine. #StormChasing #ReedTimmer #Starlink #TechToday #ExtremeTech

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On-screen text

INSIDE THE 6-TON VEHICLE THAT DRIVES INTO TORNADOES HI I'M STORM CHASER REED TIMMER AND I LOVE INTERCEPTING TORNADOES FOR TO MAKE THAT POSSIBLE WE USE REED TIMMER STORMCHASER STARLINK AND THIS 6 TON BEAST. THIS IS THE ULTIMATE STORM CHASING MACHINE. YOU THE TECHNOLOGY INSIDE TO LIVE STREAM THE ENTIRE TORNADO THE ENTIRE TORNADO TO KEEP PEOPLE SAFE INSIDE OF THESE STORMS THE MINIATURIZED SENSORS THAT WE LAUNCH INTO TORNADOES BY AIR CANNON THE DOMINATOR 3 HAS BEEN INSIDE OF ABOUT 50 TORNADOES. THE AERODYNAMIC EXTERIOR. THAT'S SO A DOWNWARD FORCE DIRECTED ON THE VEHICLE. AND WE HAVE HYDRAULICS, AIRBAG SUSPENSION AS WELL. THAT ALLOWS THE AERODYNAMIC SHELL TO DROP FLUSH TO THE GROUND AND THAT PREVENTS THE WIND FROM GETTING UNDERNEATH. BUT THIS STARLINK DRIVES OUR WHOLE ENTIRE LIVE STREAMING MISSION AND OUR SCIENCE A CUSTOM BUILT POLYCARBONATE PROTECTIVE EXTERIOR THAT PROTECTS IT FROM THE BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL SIZE AND FLYING DEBRIS INSIDE OF A THIS RIGHT HERE OUR AIR CANNONS TO SHOOT MINIATURIZED PARACHUTE PROBES INTO THE TORNADO. THOSE SENSORS PROVIDE US A THREE DIMENSIONAL THE WIND AND THERMODYNAMICS INSIDE OF THE TORNADO. THIS IS OUR ROOF MOUNTED 360 DEGREE CAMERA. STINGER CAMERA. WIDE ANGLE CAMERA THAT PROVIDES THE FOLLOW SHOT OF A DOMINATOR GOING INSIDE OF IT HAS A GULL WING DOORS THIS EXTERIOR IS 16 GAUGE STEEL WITH A POLYETHYLENE KEVLAR COMPOSITE SPRAY THAT KEEPS US PROTECTED FROM FLYING EVEN BLADES OF GRASS MOVING AT 200 MILES PER COULD BE A REGULAR VEHICLE. WE HAVE SPIKES AS WELL DOORS THAT GO IN ABOUT 6 OR 8 INCHES THAT WILL FASTEN US TO THE GROUND. NOW LET ME CUSTOM TECHNOLOGY INSIDE OF THE DOMINATOR. OF THE MONITORS WE HAVE SET TIME MONITORING OF OUR LIVE STREAM. SUPER COMPUTER IN SIDE OF THE THIS WAS CUSTOM BUILT BY WILL CLAY 25 AND THAT'S FOR POWERING THE ROOF MOUNTED 360 DEGREE CAMERA. STARLINK ON THE ROOF. AND IT HAS SURVIVED A LOT OF EXTREME ENVIRONMENTS. THAT INCLUDES INSIDE OF TORNADOES, BIG TIME HAIL HURRICANES AS WELL WE CHASE, AND THOSE STARLINKS HANDLE VERY WELL INSIDE OF MILES CAN BLOW UP A REGULAR VEHICLE. BUT WITH THE DOMINATOR STARLINK SETUP IT ALLOWS US TO LIVE STREAM AND ALSO TRACK

Transcript

Hi I'm Storm Stormchaser Reed Timmer And I love intercepting tornadoes for to make that possible we use Starlink and this 6 ton beast. This is the ultimate storm chasing machine. I'm gonna show you the technology inside to live stream the entire tornado process to keep people safe inside of these storms. The miniaturized sensors that we launch into tornadoes by air cannon the Dominator 3 has been inside of about 50 tornadoes. The aerodynamic exterior. That's so a downward force directed on the vehicle. And we have hydraulics, airbag suspension as well. That allows the aerodynamic shell to drop flush to the ground and that prevents the wind from getting underneath. But this Starlink drives our whole entire live streaming mission and our science mission. And we have a custom built polycarbonate protective exterior that protects it from the baseball and softball size and flying debris inside of a tornado. This right here is our air cannons that we use to shoot miniaturized parachute probes into the tornado. Those sensors provide us a three dimensional view of the wind and thermodynamics inside of the tornado. This is our roof mounted 360 degree camera. This is our stinger camera. This is a wide angle camera that provides the follow shot of a Dominator going inside of a tornado. It has a gull wing doors as well. This exterior is 16 gauge steel with a polyethylene Kevlar composite spray that keeps us protected from flying even blades of grass moving at 200 miles per hour that could be a regular vehicle. We have spikes as well behind the front doors that go in about 6 or 8 inches that will fasten us to the ground. Now let me show you the custom technology inside of the Dominator. These are some of the monitors we have set up for real time monitoring of our live stream. Super computer in side of the Dominator. This was custom built by Will Clay 25 and that's for powering the roof mounted 360 degree camera. Starlink on the roof. And it has survived a lot of extreme environments. That includes inside of tornadoes, big time hail hurricanes as well we chase, and those Starlinks handle very well inside of miles that can blow up a regular vehicle. But with the Dominator Starlink setup it allows us to live stream and also track