When wind monitoring applications cross the line into critical infrastructure, where sensor failure impacts aviation safety, marine navigation, or flare stack operations, commercial-grade plastic instruments are no longer viable. The Gill WindObserver range represents the heavy-industrial tier of 2-axis solid-state anemometers.
The WindObserver range is based on an open head design. This allows for higher wind speed measurement and greater accuracy when the angle of wind flow is increased. Constructed entirely from marine-grade 316 stainless steel, the WindObserver family provides precision ultrasonic measurement resistant to salt-water corrosion, physical impact, and severe aerodynamic stress. This engineering breakdown outlines how the core models scale in measurement velocity and how the specialised II and IS versions fit into legacy and hazardous area installations.
While sharing an identical mechanical form factor and an IP66-rated housing, the numerical designations indicate the upper structural and acoustic threshold of the instrument. Scaling up the range yields the following capabilities:
WindObserver 60: The foundational platform. It measures wind speeds up to 60 m/s (134 mph), making it a rugged alternative for building safety, structural monitoring, marine, and high-altitude weather stations requiring steel construction over composite plastics.
WindObserver 70: Extends the upper threshold to 70 m/s (156 mph). Featuring specialised internal acoustics, this specific model is accepted for service by both the FAA and the CAA for surface-wind reporting at international airport runways and helidecks.
WindObserver 75: Built for true polar and sub-zero service, it tracks winds up to 75 m/s (168 mph). This variant is frequently deployed with an integrated high-power, 150W anti-icing heating element in the sensor head to maintain data integrity under heavy icing conditions.
WindObserver 90: The current extreme of the range, calibrated in specialised wind tunnels to monitor velocities up to 90 m/s (201 mph). It is explicitly engineered for hurricane and typhoon tracking, wind turbine survivability controls, and exposed marine superstructures.
All versions offer a digital output in RS422/RS485 full duplex/half duplex with configurable baud rates.
Integrating a stainless steel sensor requires matching your data architecture and safety zoning constraints. This is where the specialized variants become necessary:
While modern WindObservers output digital strings (RS422/RS485), many legacy industrial SCADA systems, marine bridge systems, and PLCs still rely on analogue current loops. The WindObserver II maintains a highly valued Lloyd’s Register Type Approval for commercial maritime use and features built-in digital-to-analogue converters. It supplies 1 digital output alongside 3 simultaneous analogue outputs (user-configurable as 0-5V, ±2.5V, or 4-20mA current loops), allowing direct connection to older automation hardware without external protocol converters.
For oil and gas platforms, petrochemical refineries, and paint spray facilities, standard electronics pose an ignition risk. The WindObserver IS is certified to ATEX, IECEx, and UKEX standards for installation directly within explosive atmospheres (Zone 0, 1, and 2).
It achieves safety compliance via a two-part deployment layout:
In the Hazardous Area: The WindObserver IS sensor itself, limited to a 0–75 m/s measurement range, runs on strictly throttled internal current levels.
In the Safe Area: A dedicated Low Voltage Power & Communications Interface (LVPCI) box that uses galvanic isolation and Zener barriers to block high-voltage spikes from traveling down the data line to the sensor
The WindObserver 65 has all of the performance features of the WindSonic with additional features including: Increased speed range, 0-65m/s; Optional de-icing system, extending the operational temperature range; IP66 Stainless Steel housing, which is particularly suitable for use in salt-water environments; Sonic temperature output. The WindObserver range of ultrasonic anemometers have a proven record in airport, offshore, marine and naval applications, plus it has been rigorously tested to a number of international standards.
The WindObserver 70 is a solid state, heated ultrasonic anemometer designed for use within the aviation industry and for applications where weather conditions are more extreme. The sensor is accepted for service by both the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration and the CAA (Civil Aviation Authority) for the observation and reporting of surface wind. This WindObserver meets the requirements of Annex 3 of the convention on International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The WindObserver 75 is recommended for high altitude, Arctic and Antarctic weather monitoring. The WindObserver 90 is ideal for measuring high wind speeds, up to 100m/s (224mph), in extreme weather conditions, eg typhoons and hurricanes. The new WindObservers are approved by the Lloyd's Register of London.
The WindObserver II provides wind speed and direction data via 1 digital and 3 analogue outputs and features an IP66 rated stainless steel housing, which is particularly suitable for use in salt-water environments. The anemometer also has an optional anti-icing heating option enabling the sensor to operate effectively in extreme environmental conditions, like those experienced at high altitude or at sea. The WindObserver II has been type approved by the Lloyds Register for use in marine and offshore applications.
The WindObserver IS system is an Intrinsically Safe Ultrasonic Anemometers developed specifically for use in hazardous areas and offshore applications. The full system required no regular maintenance for a reliable low maintenance wind speed and direction sensor. The ATEX, IECEx & UKEX certification ensures that the wind system may be deployed anywhere in the worldwide, without the need for expensive local recertification. The outputs include a customer selectable vector rolling average and 3 second gust in accordance with WMO - No. 8 Seventh Edition 2008 ISBN 978-92-63-10008-5. The WindObserver II has been type approved by the Lloyd's Register of London. Hazardous Area Approved
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