An anemometer for independently measuring wind speed and wind direction in a fluid medium, the anemometer configured to be deployed to fall autonomously along a trajectory of the fluid medium and comprising: a first anemometer portion ; and a second anemometer portion , configured with a different drag coefficient than the first anemometer portion resulting in a different wind resistance in the fluid medium than the first anemometer portion , wherein the different drag coefficient and different wind resistance of the second anemometer portion causes an inclination of the anemometer toward the wind direction, and wherein the drag coefficient of the anemometer is effective for curtailing an initial ballistic trajectory such that the anemometer enters a free-fall descent almost immediately after deployment; the anemometer further comprising: at least one inclinometer , coupled to at least one anemometer portion, the inclinometer configured to obtain inclination measurements of the anemometer from when the anemometer begins the free-fall descent; and at least one memory/transmitter coupled to at least one anemometer portion and configured to store or transmit the inclination measurements, wherein the anemometer is configured to determine the local wind direction along the trajectory from the inclination measurements based on the direction of inclination of the anemometer in correlation with the measurements timings, and to determine the local wind speed along the trajectory from the inclination measurements based on the degree of inclination of the anemometer in correlation with the measurements timings. a first anemometer portion ; and a second anemometer portion , configured with a different drag coefficient than the first anemometer portion resulting in a different wind resistance in the fluid medium than the first anemometer portion , wherein the different drag coefficient and different wind resistance of the second anemometer portion causes an inclination of the anemometer toward the wind direction, and wherein the drag coefficient of the anemometer is effective for curtailing an initial ballistic trajectory such that the anemometer enters a free-fall descent almost immediately after deployment; the anemometer further comprising: at least one inclinometer , coupled to at least one anemometer portion, the inclinometer configured to obtain inclination measurements of the anemometer from when the anemometer begins the free-fall descent; and at least one memory/transmitter coupled to at least one anemometer portion and configured to store or transmit the inclination measurements, wherein the anemometer is configured to determine the local wind direction along the trajectory from the inclination measurements based on the direction of inclination of the anemometer in correlation with the measurements timings, and to determine the local wind speed along the trajectory from the inclination measurements based on the degree of inclination of the anemometer in correlation with the measurements timings. at least one inclinometer , coupled to at least one anemometer portion, the inclinometer configured to obtain inclination measurements of the anemometer from when the anemometer begins the free-fall descent; and at least one memory/transmitter coupled to at least one anemometer portion and configured to store or transmit the inclination measurements, wherein the anemometer is configured to determine the local wind direction along the trajectory from the inclination measurements based on the direction of inclination of the anemometer in correlation with the measurements timings, and to determine the local wind speed along the trajectory from the inclination measurements based on the degree of inclination of the anemometer in correlation with the measurements timings. <EOS>