Patent ID: 11300583

Abstract:
Anemometer for independently measuring wind speed and direction in fluid medium. A second anemometer portion has at least one attribute resulting in different wind resistance in fluid medium than a first anemometer portion, such as a different: mass, shape, density, specific gravity, drag coefficient and/or freedom of motion. Different wind resistance causes inclination of anemometer when deployed to fall autonomously along a trajectory of fluid medium, where anemometer drag coefficient curtails initial ballistic trajectory such that anemometer enters free-fall descent after deployment. Anemometer includes inclinometer to obtain inclination measurements, and memory/transmitter to store/transmit inclination measurements. Local wind direction/speed is determined from inclination measurements based on direction/degree of anemometer inclination in correlation with measurement timings. Anemometer may be deployed from moving airborne platform. Anemometer may include conical second portion embedded into spherical first portion, where conical second portion has smaller mass and larger surface area than spherical first portion.