Friday, March 18 2005 16:14 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Bangalore: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has developed Automatic Weather Stations (AWS) with the participation of Indian industry, and said that the low-cost AWS can improve significantly weather forecasts and services.

According to ISRO, the AWS is compact, modular, rugged and is capable of operating with minimum power from battery and solar panel for extended periods in field conditions, even in remote areas where power supply and communication are not available.

"AWS can continuously record weather data like temperature, atmospheric pressure, wind speed and direction, rainfall, relative humidity and solar radiation," the Bangalore-headquartered space agency said in a statement.

ISRO's commercial arm Antrix Corporation today (Mar 18, 2005) signed an agreement with Hyderabad-based Astra Microwave Products Limited, which would productionise and deploy AWS in the country based on the requirement of user agencies.

ISRO said that the data from a large number of AWS located across the country could be collected through data relay transponders on board its Indian National Satellite (INSAT).

AWS features include easy programming of sensors, front panel display, archival of one-year data and communication options via INSAT, telephone, modem and cellular telephone.

A Global Positioning System (GPS) integrated with AWS provides accurate time for transmission of data, it said.

"With data collection from local levels and remote and inaccessible areas through AWS, weather forecasts and services can be improved significantly," the statement said. ISRO said that the prototype of AWS has been successfully demonstrated.

According to the statement, ISRO's INSAT-3A and KALPANA-1 satellites carry data relay transponders, which can receive data from remote platforms deployed on ground, water bodies or sea. Meteorological application of this satellite-based data relay is one of the important applications.

The weather information collected through AWS could also be disseminated through village resources centres, being set up by ISRO in cooperation with Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and other agencies, the space agency said.