Microwave Doppler sensor for rain measurement

The current microwave Doppler disdrometers (sensors measuring the size distribution of raindrops) are designed to provide high-quality information (the calibrated raindrop size distribution) in a single measurement site. The aim of this work is to design and test a small size and low-cost Doppler disdrometer suitable to be inserted in a meteo network. A unique feature of this sensor is that microwave front-end is based on low cost patch antennas instead of horns, and integrated mixer and amplifier instead a separated electronics. Tests using a controlled drop dispenser and in-field measurements demonstrated the effectiveness of this solution