Monsanto in Europe begins evaluation testing of MeteoHelix® IoT Pro in field experiments as part of SkyMaps’ agro solutions

MeteoHelix® Pro weather station in agricultural field experiments

MeteoHelix® IoT Pro micro weather stations designed to achieve strict accuracies as set by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) have been deployed to crop field experiments throughout Europe by Monsanto as part of Skymaps s .r .o. precision agricultural solution. The precise measurement properties resulting from their helical, spiral or twister design makes these wireless weather stations unique in the marketplace.

Recent advancements in wireless technologies enabled BARANI DESIGN Technologies to design a complete wireless weather station into a cavity where only a sensor could fit before. This new helical weather station design is not only accurate and compact, but also economical. With the target MSRP end-user price set at 499 Euro (VAT exclusive) or $550 USD, the measurement quality and installation convenience offered can be considered a steal. For precision agriculture experiments where accurate climate monitoring is of utmost importance, the long-term measurement stability offered by the self-cleaning MeteoHelix® IoT weather stations is a strong selling point, along with their ease of use, installation and operation.

The MeteoHelix® IoT Pro is not the only meteorological measurement technology being evaluated by Monsanto. Understory weather stations have been in evaluation for some time. MeteoHelix® IoT Pro is however the most accurate, theft proof, vandalism proof weather station on the market today.

A new leader in anemometer design for for wind resource assessment?

MeteoWind® 2 anemometer - the Thies CLIMA First Class competitor

Will the most established player in the wind resource assessment industry soon copy the MeteoWind® 2 anemometer with wind vane configuration from BARANI DESIGN to give up its lead in anemometer design? Would this finally lead to the adoption of combined wind sensors into the IEC 61400-12-1?

The "First Class" anemometer series are arguably the best anemometers the market has to offer. However, the recently released Advanced X anemometer from Thies CLIMA can be said to come in the footsteps of BARANI DESIGN's MeteoWind® 2, which is arguably wind resource assessment market's best anemometer and wind vane combo. The adoption of RS-485 MODBUS communication with user selectable RTU or ASCII output and a body/bearing heater with exactly 25W can be read right out of MeteoWind's data sheet. Could this be a reaction of a well-established player in the wind resource assessment industry to a new challenger? 

BARANI DESIGN Technologies is known for their innovation and product quality. Let us wait and see whether they can take the lead away in anemometer design. If Thies CLIMA copies the MeteoWind® 2 configuration, the answer will be clear.

TECHNICAL NOTE: A combined wind sensor integrates an anemometer together with a wind vane. MeteoWind® 2 is able to meet MEASNET wind speed accuracy and linearity requirements with an integrated wind vane, while all other MEASNET capable anemometers are able to achieve MEASNET linearity and accuracy only in a stand-alone configuration. 

What is real air temperature and how can technology be better used to measure it?

Since there exists no clear definition of "true near-surface atmospheric air temperature", the author, Jan Barani explains why this is the case and how the latest technologies are coming ever closer to uncovering this often ignored mystery of meteorology in present weather observations.

Find out in laymen's terms:

• What is air temperature from the view point of air?

• What really affects true air temperature?

• The observer effect's contribution to the mystery of what "true near-surface atmospheric air temperature" is?

• What is the future of air temperature measurement?

Find out more: Meteorological Technology International September 2018 - page 146-147

Meteorological Technology International magazine is the international review of weather, climate and hydrology technologies and services