Wind speeds - Anemometer
Wind speed and drone flying - Anemometer
Before I start I would just like to say that I have not been paid, given or asked to report or test the product. I purchased it with my own money because I thought it would be helpful :) .
Wind is the mortal enemy of drones, one gust is all it takes to have your prised possession carried away only to be found in multiple pieces once it has slammed in to a tree, wall or point of interest you were so trying to get that awesome shot of!
The Gadget;
So what is an Anemometer? Simply, it's something that can detect wind speed and display it to you.
This anemometer works by a "plastic fan" or vane spinning which in turn breaks the line with each of its fins between an infra-red LED transmitter and its accompanying receiver. The device then completes a sequence of mathematical magic and displays the result!
This anemometer works by a "plastic fan" or vane spinning which in turn breaks the line with each of its fins between an infra-red LED transmitter and its accompanying receiver. The device then completes a sequence of mathematical magic and displays the result!
The positives:
- It's really easy to use; power it on and hold it up to the sky!
- The temperature sensor is also handy to have as my drone needs to "warm up" to 15C (59F). This uses up valuable battery life which limits flight time.
- Knowing what the wind speed and gusts are like is really helpful in the field so I know how far I can push the drone.
- The ability to record the max speed is really useful to find out how fast the gusts of wind are going rather than just reading the live data.
The Negatives:
- In bright sunlight I assume the IR transmitter and receiver which detects the movement of the spinning fan becomes flooded by the massive amount if IR from the sun. This means that the display shows no wind at all.
- 9v battery - I guess this one would not be an issue for most people but I use rechargeable AAA and AAAA batteries which I have a USB charger for (it's easy to charge on the go in a 12v in car port).
- The vanes and the surrounding looks a little bit fragile, I do fear that if I just chuck it in a bag it might get broken easily. It would have been nice to come with a plastic cover but for the price I can't complain that much! I'm just being fussy!!!
Final thoughts:
For the price and the piece of mind knowing exactly what the wind speed is in your location is before and during your flight this hand-held gadget is well worth having in your carry bag.
I always worried that the weather forecast was not accurate or that flying in the valleys would cause an odd flow of air but now I don't have to worry :)
I always worried that the weather forecast was not accurate or that flying in the valleys would cause an odd flow of air but now I don't have to worry :)
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