Kestrel offers single handheld solutions capable of measuring all weather conditions usually measured by anemometers, wind vanes, pressure sensors, thermometers, hygrometers, and rain gauges. Kestrel’s handheld weather meters (like the Kestrel 5400 Head Stress Tracker or the Kestrel 5700 Elite Weather Meter) provide all this meteorological data without requiring a heavy investment and a truckload of space. One great example that’s able to measure these weather conditions is the Kestrel DROP, that targets many markets, including Transportation, Agriculture, Firefighting, Facilities Management, Medical, Pharmaceutical, Consumer and others.
The Kestrel DROP is a small, rugged, and accurate environmental data logger. Built to Kestrel’s brand specific rugged durability standard, the Kestrel DROP is rated IP67 waterproof (meaning they can be submerged in 1M of water for 30 minutes) and drop-tested to MIL-STD-810G.
The Kestrel DROP has endless applications. It is able to measure environmental data during cargo transport, as well as the conditions in the field for military training. It can also monitor climate conditions in any room, shipped box, cargo, trailer, freight container, as well as a room in home or office. With the Kestrel DROP, users can measure all of these conditions even when they’re physically not there.
Feature-wise, users can view, chart, record and monitor environmental conditions, and they’re also able to access that data during real-time through a wireless connection or chart the data via Bluetooth on a smart device. The Kestrel DROP feature a Graphing Functionality that takes these environmental conditions and arranges them into a graphic display. These small devices are able to log the data in different time intervals, including 2s, 5s, 10s, 20s, 30s, 1min, 2min, 5min, 10min, 20min, 30min, 1hr, 2hr, 6hr, 12hr. The humidity meter does not need to be calibrated over time.
There are different Kestrel DROP models. The DROP D1 only features a Temperature meter and is available in Red, Blue, and Tan. The DROP D2 can measure Temperature, Relative Humidity, Dew Point Temperature, and Heat Stress Index, and is available in Red, Blue, and Tan. The DROP D2HS can measure exactly the same as the D2 and is only available in Orange. The DROP D2AG can measure the same as the DROPs D2 and D2HS, in addition to Temperature Humidity Index (THI) and is only available in Hi-Viz Green. The DROP D3 can measure Temperature, Relative Humidity, Dew Point Temp., Heat Stress Index, Station Pressure (Absolute Pressure), and Density Altitude, and is available in Red, Blue, and Tan. And lastly, the DROP D3FW can measure the same as the DROP D3 excluding Density Altitude, while including Wet Bulb Temperature (Psychrometric) and is only available in Orange.
Specifically, in the Agriculture Department, the Kestrel DROP can be buried around 4 inches deep in clay soil, while still proving able to provide a signal, and cleaning them is really simple. Users just need to spray them off, replace the battery, and their Kestrel DROP will be good as new and ready to be used again. If someone wants to bury a DROP, the company recommends the D1 as there are fewer openings for water penetration. While the Kestrel DROP is rated IP67 waterproof for 30 minutes (as long as they are not submerged), users can always place one in a waterproof bag if they fear to have water around their environmental data logger for longer durations of time.
Regarding smartphone connectivity, the Kestrel DROP is able to provide iPhone connection up to a maximum range of 100 feet. The Kestrel Connect App can be downloaded directly from the iTunes App Store or Google Play. Real-time logged data can be shared as a.CSV file with the Kestrel Connect app via email, text, and social media. Users may set threshold alarms where an in-app pop-up will notify a user in a range that certain measurement criteria have been met.
Regarding battery life, a Kestrel DROP’s battery life will vary based on usage. For baseline conditions and settings (75°F, 10 Minutes of Logging Rate, and 30 seconds of Update Rate), the battery will last approximately 6 months (but can go up to 1 year if the Kestrel DROP is set for lower settings). It’s important to note that the battery life will be reduced by colder conditions, as well as by more frequent logging of update rates.
In case you’re looking to get one, depending on what Kestrel DROP model you get (D1, D2, D2HS, D2AG, D3, or D3FW) and based on what type of solution you need, the Kestrel DROPs are priced between $70-$100. You can find them on Kestrel’s website, on this page.
