A sensor system includes an enclosure mounted externally on an aerial vehicle and a sensor chamber mounted internally within the aerial vehicle. The enclosure receives and converges air particles to cause inertial separation that transfers a first portion of the air particles to a first air transfer path and that causes a second portion of the air particles to bypass the first air transfer path. The first air transfer path transfers the first portion of the air particles from the enclosure to the sensor chamber. The sensor chamber includes at least one sensor that produces sensor data for the first portion of the air particles. A second air transfer path transfers the first portion of the air particles from the sampling chamber to the enclosure. The enclosure transfers the first portion of the air particles and the second portion of the air particles to the atmosphere.