Vindicator® Laser Wind Sensor

The Vindicator® laser wind sensor (LWS) is a forward-looking LIDAR system capable of measuring real-time three-dimensional wind speed and direction data at varying ranges out to 300 meters. The sensor design is based on state-of-the-art fiber laser technology developed and patented at Optical Air Data Systems. This commercial application has been licensed to Catch the Wind, Inc. for production.

Several technologies have attempted to address the remote wind sensing market for numerous measurement applications. These products consist of mechanical, acoustic, RF, as well as laser-based sensing devices. The Vindicator® LWS surpasses all existing products by addressing the need for a cost effective, eye-safe, compact, portable, remote wind measurement system capable of operating in multiple user-defined orientations. The technology's primary application is intelligent wind turbine control providing increased efficiency and power output as well as reduced turbine stress. The Vindicator® LWS provides the added advantage of sensing the wind as it approaches the turbine allowing the turbine control systems to optimize blade orientation for maximizing power yields while minimizing downtime due to maintenance.

The Vindicator® LWS is currently in low-rate production of beta units for testing, validation and use by customers. With fiber optic laser technology developed by OADS® at the core of Vindicator® LWS' system, a wide range of future configuration possibilities opens up as development continues. Catch the Wind will continue designing and developing additional products and configurations to meet the needs of the wind energy industry as well as others.