Knowing a drone’s airspeed can be important for a variety of tasks, which is often handled by the use of a Pitot tube setup. However, according to Tindie seller ThunderFly, such devices suffer from a variety of problems. So, as a better alternative, they came up with the TFSLOT01A.
This new sensor works using the Venturi effect, and also features a 9-axis IMU to assist with drone positioning. The setup features better resolution at low airspeeds (under 10 m/s) than other solutions, and can be configured by changing the airfoil profile to adjust sensitivity. It also isn’t as clog-prone as using a Pitot tube, and is designed to survive in environmental conditions such as rain, dust, and snow.
While nominally a sensor designed specifically for drones, this device can be used in any number of other sensing applications. For instance, it could be integrated with a Raspberry Pi, or a generic computer via a USB to I2C converter. More information on this open source design is found on GitHub.
