Low-Drag Smart Tether Wind Measurement System

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing wind measurement technologies, such as pitot tubes and anemometers, face challenges including icing issues, high power consumption, large size, high drag, and inability to measure rapid wind changes effectively, making them unsuitable for small, micro-aerial vehicles and aerial applications.

Innovation Solution

A low-drag smart tether system with airfoil-shaped sleeves equipped with pressure sensors and directional sensors, which measures wind speed and direction while minimizing aerodynamic drag and power consumption, suitable for airborne applications.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If cup and vane anemometers are used to measure wind speed and direction, then measurement reliability is improved, but device size and aerodynamic drag increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemeasurement reliabilityVSAvoiddevice weight

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces traditional mechanical cup and vane anemometers with a tether-based system using pressure sensors and flow direction sensors to measure wind speed and direction. This substitution eliminates heavy mechanical rotating components while maintaining measurement capability, directly resolving the contradiction between measurement reliability and device weight.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Reliability

If cup and vane anemometers are used to measure wind speed and direction, then measurement reliability is improved, but aerodynamic drag increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemeasurement reliabilityVSAvoidaerodynamic drag

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs a thin tether structure instead of bulky mechanical anemometer housings. The tether with embedded sensors creates minimal aerodynamic resistance while maintaining structural integrity for measurement, effectively reducing the harmful aerodynamic drag factor.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Measurement precision

If heated-element or thermal anemometers are used to measure wind speed, then measurement accuracy is improved, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewind speed measurement accuracyVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces thermal anemometers that require continuous heating with a system using pressure sensors and flow direction sensors. This substitution eliminates the need for continuous energy consumption while maintaining measurement accuracy through differential pressure measurement and flow angle detection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

4Measurement precision

If pitot tubes are used to measure airspeed, then measurement accuracy is improved, but vulnerability to icing increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveairspeed measurement accuracyVSAvoidicing vulnerability

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces pitot tubes with a tether-based system using pressure sensors and flow direction sensors. This substitution eliminates the enclosed tube structure that traps moisture and ice, while maintaining airspeed measurement capability through differential pressure measurement across the tether surface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The system achieves accurate wind speed and direction measurements with low power consumption and minimal drag, making it suitable for small aerial vehicles and improving energy efficiency and autonomy in airborne systems.

Implementation Method 1

The pressure sensor is configured to measure the pressure exerted on the pressure sensor by air moving over the surface of the sleeve

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure differential measurement: Pressure Gradient

Implementation Method 2

The sleeve has an airfoil shaped cross-section... fluid flowing around the sleeve causes the sleeve to rotate about the tether longitudinal axis

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAerodynamic force: Aerofoil

Data Source

PatentUS20250180596A1Wind speed and direction measurement system and device

Publication Date: 2025.06.05 OHIO STATE INNOVATION FOUND

AI summary

Various implementations include a low-drag smart tether system for measuring fluid speed and direction. The system includes a sleeve, a pressure sensor, and a tether. The sleeve has a longitudinal axis and an airfoil shaped cross-section as viewed in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The sleeve has a leading edge. The sleeve defines a tether opening extending parallel to the longitudinal axis. The pressure sensor is disposed along a surface of the sleeve. The pressure sensor is configured to measure the pressure exerted on the pressure sensor by air moving over the surface of the sleeve. The tether extends through the tether opening defined by the sleeve. The tether has a tether longitudinal axis. The tether opening is positioned such that fluid flowing around the sleeve causes the sleeve to rotate about the tether longitudinal axis.