The floating LIDAR product is aimed at the offshore wind prospecting for fully characterising wind conditions prior to investment and construction. Three converging beams allow proper reconstruction of the 3d wind velocity vector. Sensors of position and orientation are used in order to correct the laser beam steering in order to measure at a chosen point or set of points all through the year and in high sea states just as if the floating platform was not moving, thereby ensuring accurate 3d wind velocity measurement and high data availability. Volumetric scanning allows understanding of wind conditions across large rotors. There are also possible applications for operational wind farms.
A spherical wind map from a floating LIDAR can gather in a year all the information needed in order to accurately quantify the full rotor wind experience of a turbine centred at the position of the sphere. A spherical map is useful because as a wind turbine yaws into the changing wind direction throughout a year then the rotor circle essentially rotates through a sphere. Other scan patterns can be programmed as required.