WDT is currently installing a Radar Wind and Thermodynamic Profiling System (RWTPS) for the airport meteorologists at Abu Dhabi International Airport. The Abu Dhabi airport is undergoing a major expansion – a multi-year project to build a large new terminal building. 

The system consists of a radiometer, which measures the temperature and moisture in a vertical column above the instrument, and a wind profiler, which measures the wind in a vertical column above the instrument.  These two instruments are remote sensing devices that basically serve as a substitute for a weather balloon and has the benefit of updating every few minutes, whereas weather balloons (radiosondes) are only launched twice per day.

WDT Instruments; manufactured by Radiometrics

The photo above is of WDT's instruments, manufactured by our partner, Radiometrics. The mailbox-looking instrument is the radiometer. The other instrument is the wind profiler. Servers are sitting inside the candy cane shelter. The same system was installed last year at the Bahrain International Airport

Training the technicians how to maintain the radiometer

“We have enjoyed working at the airport over the last week" says Zach DuFran, Project Manager. "Learning from the meteorologists here about their unique needs for how to keep their air traffic safe through timely and accurate windshear alerts has been very helpful.”

7th tallest Air Traffic Control tower in the world

The system will provide the airport meteorologists with automated warnings of windshear, inversions, low clouds, and fog, and will also prove useful for their everyday forecasting needs. WDT has built an interactive portal that displays soundings and time-height diagrams of the data sets, as well as the critical warning information that can be disseminated to air traffic control and pilots.