Networked anemometer system for wind measurement

#Wind can be unpredictable and influence, among other things, the behavior, performance, and movement of objects. Wind measurements are often estimated for a particular location by manual, visual observations. Estimation accuracy can be dependent upon observer training, experience, skill, available observation equipment, atmospheric conditions, and observational range. At higher observational ranges, manual observations become more error prone. To accurately determine cumulative wind effects, a single measurement point is not sufficient and reliance upon a single measurement can introduce unacceptable error into calculations for mitigating wind effects for longer-range-dependent activities.

#The present disclosure relates to methods and systems for measuring wind with networked anemometers. One method includes receiving real-time wind measurement data from each of one or more anemometer sensor platforms (ASPs) in a network, receiving atmospheric data, and calculating, using the received real-time wind measurement data and the received atmospheric data, at least one of real-time wind measurements, a wind profile, an average wind speed, or a weapon aiming offset.

#Other implementations of this aspect include corresponding systems configured to perform the actions of the method. One or more systems can be configured to perform particular actions of the method. The systems can include one or more computers configured to perform the particular operations or actions by virtue of having software, firmware, hardware, computer-readable media or a combination of software, firmware, hardware, or computer-readable media installed on the systems. One or more computer programs can be configured to perform particular operations or actions by virtue of including instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the actions.

#FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating components of a networked anemometer system (NAS) for measuring wind according to an implementation.

#FIG. 2 illustrates an example anemometer sensor platform (ASP) unit according to an implementation.

#FIG. 3 illustrates proper ASP unit alignment for a weapon firing range NAS implementation.

#Like reference numbers and designations in the various drawings indicate like elements.

#This disclosure generally describes methods and systems for measuring wind with networked anemometers.

#The following description is presented to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention, and is provided in the context of a particular application and its requirements. By measuring wind components at different ranges from an origin, using networked anemometers, a cumulative wind profile can be calculated. The calculated cumulative wind profile can be used in various applications to mitigate (or “offset”) one or more effects of measured wind components. For example, to offset range wind and/or crosswind effects on a projectile, one or more aiming/sighting offset values can be calculated using the cumulative calculated wind profile. Various modifications to the disclosed implementations will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments and applications without departing from scope of the disclosure. Thus, the present disclosure is not intended to be limited to the described and/or illustrated implementations, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and features disclosed herein.