Stand-Alone Doppler Current Sensor

The Aanderaa Current Sensors are available in a profiling and a single-point version with three depth ratings. We offer Doppler Current Profiler Sensor, Doppler Current Sensor and the In-line ZPulse Doppler Current Sensor.

Doppler Current Profiler Sensor (DCPS)

The Doppler Current Profiler Sensor (DCPS) is a medium-range, 600kHz current profiler smart sensor. It offers high-quality ocean current measurements and is ideally suited for cabling directly to various systems or dataloggers via serial or AiCap bus. With its integrated compensation for tilting and movement, the sensor is commonly used to measure current from buoys and other moving platforms.

The 5400/5400R version of the current sensor is 300m depth rated, the 5402/5402R version is 4500m depth rated, and the 5403/5403R version is 6000m depth rated and intended for commercial as well as research use. It comes with an integrated temperature sensor that can be calibrated on request.

As an extension to the DCPS, we now offer the current profiler with an integrated pressure unit called the 5400P. This version enables acoustic wave measurements in addition to profiling currents. Ideal for small observatories, the DCPS sensor is the market's lowest-cost current and wave sensor.

Doppler Current Sensor (DCS)

The Aanderaa Doppler Current Sensor is a rugged, true vector averaging current sensor for measuring current speed and direction in the sea. The sensor has built-in compass and tilt sensor and may also output sea temperature. The speed range is 0 to 300 cm/s. Low current drain and flexible sampling schemes. New multi-frequency (DCS) with ZPulse technology achieves better performance using only half the power than previous models. The new, fast response compass and tilt circuitry has no moving parts achieving excellent performance in unstable areas such as in the wave zone close to surface.

In-line  ZPulse Doppler Current Sensor (DCS)5800 / 5810

The inline ZPulse Doppler Current Sensor has been designed in order to easily integrate into systems offering a compact and elegant solution.  The ZPulse sensor is based on a modified version of the ZPulse DCS  4520. The unit connects to a combined mooring and signal cable in one end and allow for connection of a continuation cable at the opposite end. The inline ZPulse current sensor can hold a load of up to 1300 kg. It has been developed to replace the previous Aanderaa DCS 4100 using newer technology and extending capabilities.

4420/4420R 4520/4520R 4830/4830R 4930/4930R

5800/5800R/

5800RR

 5810

5400//5402/

5403/5400R
Shallow Water X X X X X / - / - / X
Intermediate Water X X X5 X5 - / X / - / -
Deep Water X X - / - / - / X
AiCaP1 X / – X / – X / – X / – X / – / – X / – X / X / X / –
RS-232 X / – X / – X / – X / – – / – / X – / X X / X / X / –
RS-4222 – / X – / X – / X – / X – / X / – – / X - / - / – / X
In-line X X
Temperature X X X3
Z-Pulse4 X X X X X X
Profiler X
Single point X X X X X X
Extra sensor connection X

1 The Seaguard platform and the smart sensor are interfaced by means of a reliable CANbus interface (AiCaP), using XML for plug and play capabilities.

2 RS-422 output for use as stand-alone sensor with long cables.

3 Integrated temperature sensor 4080 in the DCPS calibrated on request

4 ZPulse technology which improves the statistical precision. Complex acoustic pulses comprising several distinct frequencies are combined into a single acoustic pulse. The ZPulse based DCS separates the received signal into different frequency bands, one for each frequency in the transmitted signal. Further it analyses the frequency shift using a high speed Digital Signal Processor using an ARMA based parametric model processing algorithm to find the Doppler shift frequencies. This multi-frequency technique reduces the required number of pings needed in order to achieve an acceptable statistical error. The achieved measurement precision is proportional to the inverse of the square root of the number of ping measurements in a measurement interval. The ZPulse DCS uses two frequencies and this gives a reduction by a factor square root of two compared to a single frequency sensor. A single frequency sensor needs twice the number of ping to achieve the same precision as the Zpulse DCS.

5 Maximum depth range 2000 meter

Need Pricing?  Fill out our Request a Quote form to speed along your request. 

Have a question?  Ask a question to send your inquiry directly to our support team.

Contact us directly or find your nearest authorized representative.



Worldwide Representatives for Aanderaa

Aanderaa 3-in-1 Product Launch


Join us for a quick unveiling of the latest additions to the MOTUS Family and the new and improved DCPS. During this live launch, we introduce the MOTUS Wave Height Sensor, MOTUS Lite OEM sensor, and the DCPS with the embedded pressure sensor.

Related Products

Pressure Based Waves

Measure pressure based Waves with the Aanderaa Wave Sensors- compact fully integrated sensors for measuring wave and tide conditions

SeaGuard Sensor String

The Aanderaa SEAGUARD® Sensor String Systems are complete and flexible subsea observatories for measurements of e.g. dissolved oxygen, conductivity, temperature, current, pressure and tide.

Motion Based Waves

Accurate Motion Based wave measurements are critical in applications such as offshore wind farm development, navigation, cable laying, breakwater building, and bridge construction.

Bluetooth Recording Current Meter (RCM Blue)

A self-recording dedicated current meter with Bluetooth for communications and data retrieval - now with the possibility to integrate a pressure sensor!

Profiling Current Meter

The SeaGuardII DCP (Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler - ADCP) measures currents and can be extended with wave direction, oxygen, conductivity, turbidity, temperature, and serial sensors.

Ocean Currents

Ocean water currents are driven by winds, tides and density differences. The ocean circulation regulates the earth's climate by transporting heat. The flowing water affects offshore and coastal construction and also carries particles, animals, plants, nutrients, pollutants and dissolved gases. The acoustic doppler technique has become the preferred technology for most users measuring ocean current, because it is robust, needs no calibrations, can be used for both point (RCM) and profiling (Acoustic Doppler Current Profiling) measurements and is basically insensitive to fouling.