Navigation Systems

Accurate wind data is essential for both partial and fully automated navigation systems, enhancing route optimisation, energy conservation, and safety. By integrating real-time wind speed and direction, vessels can adjust their course to minimise drag, reduce fuel consumption, and avoid hazardous conditions. With advanced wind sensors providing reliable, up-to-date information, navigation systems can make precise decisions, leading to smoother operations and lower operational costs.

Why choose FT

FT's wind sensors are designed to withstand vibration and acoustic noise, making them ideal for airborne and naval navigation systems. Helicopters, for instance, generate significant rotor vibrations and noise, which can interfere with sensor accuracy. By being resistant to these disturbances, FT’s sensors ensure reliable wind data even in the harshest operational environments. This precise data is crucial for accurate navigation, maintaining stability, and ensuring safe landings, particularly in challenging conditions such as strong winds or rough terrain.

Dynamic positioning systems combine wind and other sensors with thrusters and GPS to maintain a vessel’s position, even in challenging conditions. By continuously compensating for wind, waves, and currents, these systems keep the vessel steady without the need for anchors. This precise control is vital for critical operations such as offshore drilling, underwater construction, and marine research, where stability is crucial for ensuring safety and operational accuracy.
In aircraft navigation, wind sensors monitor potentially hazardous crosswinds, particularly during low-speed manoeuvres when pressure-based systems are less effective. These sensors are crucial for ensuring safe take-offs and landings in challenging wind conditions.
Wind sensors are used as Pitot replacements and for navigation in GNSS-denied environments, ensuring reliable performance even when GPS signals are unavailable.

Technology

Unique to FT wind sensors, Acu-Res® software automatically compensates for changes in air temperature, pressure, and humidity to ensure data continuity.

FT7 Series

FT7 Series wind sensors are the fit-and-forget solution for maintenance-free operation year-round, even in the harshest conditions.

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FT6 Series

FT6 Series wind sensors are designed for professional performance while minimising weight impact on the end user.

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Case studies

Dynamic Line Rating:

Monitoring Wind Conditions on Overhead Power Lines in Remote Areas

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Wind Speed from

0.001m/s

Ingress Protected to

IP67

Vibration Resistant up to

500Hz

Certification

ISO 9227 (2006)

Corrosion Resistant: Tested to category C5-M High of BS EN ISO 12944 (1998) in a neutral salt spray atmosphere for 1440 hours.

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EN 60068-2-27 (2009)

Mechanical Shock Test Ea and CAF2656. Peak acceleration: 50g. Duration: 11ms. Pulse shape: half-sine.

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ISO 20653:2013 IPX6K EN 60529 (1992+A2:2103)

Sealed to IPX6K, IP66 and IP67. Protected against high velocity water jets with increased pressure, access to hazardous parts and against solid foreign objects. Submerged in one metre depth of water for 30 minutes, and exposed to a dust chamber for 8 hours.

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MIL-STD-810G

Anti-Icing Test: With the heater switched on, the sensor was exposed to freezing rain in an airflow of 15m/s at -15°C. Even when 37mm of ice had built up on the test bar the sensor itself remained ice-free. De-Icing Test: The sensor was ice-free in under 5 minutes.

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Navigation Systems

Why choose FT

Dynamic Positioning Systems (DPS)

Aerospace

Drones

Technology

FT7 Series

FT6 Series

Case studies

Dynamic Line Rating:

Certification

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