{"product_id":"kit-automated-ceilometer-cloud-base-estimator","title":"Automated Ceilometer Cloud Base Estimator","description":"\u003ch1\u003eReal-Time Cloud Base Estimator: Arduino Mega Automated Ceilometer Kit\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\n\u003cp class=\"value-summary\"\u003eEvery part needed, pre-tested for compatibility, with an AI build companion trained on this exact project. Shipped from Bengaluru in 3-5 days.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"specs-strip\"\u003e\n  \u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDifficulty:\u003c\/strong\u003e Advanced\u003c\/span\u003e\n  \u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBuild Time:\u003c\/strong\u003e 15-20 hrs\u003c\/span\u003e\n  \u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAge:\u003c\/strong\u003e 25+\u003c\/span\u003e\n  \u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSkill:\u003c\/strong\u003e Pulsed laser time-of-flight \u0026amp; atmospheric correction\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis advanced kit lets you build a fully functional ceilometer that estimates cloud base height by measuring the round-trip time of a pulsed IR laser beam, corrected for air density with a BMP280. Ideal for meteorology enthusiasts, atmospheric science researchers, or anyone needing continuous cloud height logging — whether for solar irradiance forecasting, aviation safety studies, or agricultural microclimate tracking across Indian field stations.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat You'll Build\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA laser-based ceilometer that fires 940 nm IR pulses vertically, captures the backscattered light with a BPW34 photodiode, and computes cloud base altitude up to several kilometres. Real-time readings appear on the OLED while temperature and humidity from the DHT22, together with barometric pressure from the BMP280, improve accuracy through air density corrections. All data is logged to a microSD card with precise timestamps from the DS3231 RTC, giving you a self-contained, long-term atmospheric profiling instrument.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat You'll Learn\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eTime-of-flight measurement using pulsed infrared lasers and high-speed photodetection circuits\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eSignal conditioning with LM358 op-amps to amplify weak return signals for reliable detection\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eIntegrating multi-sensor environmental data (BMP280, DHT22) for real-time density corrections\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eBuilding robust data logging and timestamping routines for weeks of autonomous operation\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eKit Contents\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\n  \u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eComponent\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eQuantity\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\u003c\/thead\u003e\n  \u003ctbody\u003e\n    \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eArduino Mega 2560\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e1\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n    \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eIR LED 940nm High Power\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e1\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n    \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eIR Photodiode BPW34\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e1\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n    \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBMP280\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e1\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n    \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eDHT22\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e1\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n    \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eDS3231 RTC\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e1\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n    \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMicroSD Module\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e1\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n    \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eLM358 Op-Amp\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e2\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n    \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e0.96in OLED\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e1\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n    \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e100Ω Resistors\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e5\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n    \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e1kΩ Resistors\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e5\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n    \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e10kΩ Resistors\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e10\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n    \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e100nF Capacitors\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e10\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n    \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePCB Prototype Board\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e3\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n    \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSoldering Iron\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e1\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n    \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSolder Wire\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e1\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n  \u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhy Buy This Kit Instead of Sourcing Parts Separately\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\n  \u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eFactor\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eSourcing Separately\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eCompoden Kit\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\u003c\/thead\u003e\n  \u003ctbody\u003e\n    \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCompatibility checks\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eYou verify every part\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePre-tested as a system\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n    \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBuild support\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eForums and scattered tutorials\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAI companion trained on this exact project\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n    \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTime to first working build\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eDays of debugging\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHours, with step-by-step guidance\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n    \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eShipping coordination\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMultiple sellers, multiple delays\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eOne shipment from Bengaluru in 3-5 days\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n  \u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWho This Kit Is For\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis kit is designed for advanced students and professionals: B.Tech ECE\/EEE students working on atmospheric instrumentation projects, participants in Smart India Hackathon weather \u0026amp; disaster management challenges, and meteorology enthusiasts in research labs at IIT, NIT, VIT, or BITS Pilani. It's equally suited for independent researchers building long-term cloud monitoring stations for solar farms, airports, or climate observatories across India.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eBuilt and Backed by Compoden\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEvery Compoden kit ships with an AI build companion trained on this exact project — accessible via a QR code on the box, with WhatsApp and email backup. We've spent 10 years building projects for makers, schools, and institutions across India. If a part fails because of a manufacturing defect, replace it free within 7 days.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cdetails\u003e\u003csummary\u003eWhat if I get stuck during the build?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cp\u003eScan the QR code on the box to open the AI companion, which knows the exact wiring, code, and calibration steps for this ceilometer. You can also message us on WhatsApp — our team responds within hours, often in real time.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003cdetails\u003e\u003csummary\u003eHow accurate is the cloud base measurement?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cp\u003eWith proper calibration and clear line-of-sight, the system can achieve ±5% accuracy up to 2 km. The BMP280 and DHT22 data continuously correct for air density changes, significantly improving consistency compared to uncorrected time-of-flight estimates.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003cdetails\u003e\u003csummary\u003eCan this detect multiple cloud layers?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cp\u003eYes, if you log the full return signal waveform at high speed, the photodiode and op-amp circuit can capture multiple backscatter peaks. The included code framework can be extended to identify and timestamp multiple layers, but this requires advanced signal processing beyond the default build.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003cdetails\u003e\u003csummary\u003eIs it safe to run the IR laser continuously?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe kit's 940 nm IR LED is eye-safe at the power levels used (pulsed, low duty cycle). However, as with any optical instrument, avoid staring directly into the beam. The included build guide explains how to house the optics safely for outdoor deployment.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"kit-description\"\u003e\n  \u003cp\u003ePulsed IR laser and photodiode measure return time to estimate cloud base height. BMP280 corrects for air density.\u003c\/p\u003e\n  \u003ch4\u003eWhat's in this kit\u003c\/h4\u003e\n  \u003cul\u003e\n    \u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/products\/mega-2560-r3-development-board-arduino-compatible-54-io-256kb\"\u003eArduino Mega 2560\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/products\/9-in-1-arduino-sensor-kit-with-ultrasonic-pir-dht11-mq2-more\"\u003eIR LED 940nm High Power\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/products\/9-in-1-arduino-sensor-kit-with-ultrasonic-pir-dht11-mq2-more\"\u003eIR Photodiode BPW34\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/products\/bmp280-barometric-pressure-temperature-sensor-module-compodenin\"\u003eBMP280\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/products\/dht22-temperature-humidity-sensor-module-accurate-readings\"\u003eDHT22\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/products\/ds3231-real-time-clock-module-i2c-rtc-with-battery-backup\"\u003eDS3231 RTC\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/products\/microsd-card-reader-spi-module-for-arduino\"\u003eMicroSD Module\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/lm358-op-amp-dual-low-power-operational-amplifier-ic-compoden\"\u003eLM358 Op-Amp\u003c\/a\u003e x2\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/products\/096in-oled-display-128x64-i2cspi-for-arduino-raspberry-pi\"\u003e0.96in OLED\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003cli\u003e100Ω Resistors x5\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003cli\u003e1kΩ Resistors x5\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/resistor-variety-pack-100-pcs-10-values-14w-carbon-film\"\u003e10kΩ Resistors\u003c\/a\u003e x10\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/capacitor-variety-pack-6-values-100nf-to-470uf-30-pieces\"\u003e100nF Caps\u003c\/a\u003e x10\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/esp-wroom-32-breakout-board-pcb-55x52mm\"\u003ePCB Prototype Board\u003c\/a\u003e x3\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/products\/soldering-kit-25w-with-solder-wire-flux-paste-compoden\"\u003eSoldering Iron\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/products\/soldering-kit-25w-with-solder-wire-flux-paste-compoden\"\u003eSolder Wire\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\u003cscript type=\"application\/ld+json\"\u003e\n{\n  \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n  \"@type\": \"FAQPage\",\n  \"mainEntity\": [\n    {\n      \"@type\": \"Question\",\n      \"name\": \"What is included in the Automated Ceilometer Cloud Base Estimator?\",\n      \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n        \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n        \"text\": \"The Automated Ceilometer Cloud Base Estimator includes all components needed: Arduino Mega 2560, IR LED 940nm High Power, IR Photodiode BPW34, BMP280, DHT22 and more. Everything is pre-tested for compatibility and shipped from Bengaluru, India.\"\n      }\n    },\n    {\n      \"@type\": \"Question\",\n      \"name\": \"What skill level is required for the Automated Ceilometer Cloud Base Estimator?\",\n      \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n        \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n        \"text\": \"This kit is designed for Expert level makers, suitable for ages 25+. Pulsed IR laser and photodiode measure return time to estimate cloud base height. BMP280 corrects for air density. Estimated build time is 15-20 hrs.\"\n      }\n    },\n    {\n      \"@type\": \"Question\",\n      \"name\": \"Can I buy the Automated Ceilometer Cloud Base Estimator online in India?\",\n      \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n        \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n        \"text\": \"Yes, the Automated Ceilometer Cloud Base Estimator is available online at Compoden (compoden.in), India's AI-powered electronics and robotics store. Ships from Bengaluru in 1-5 business days across India.\"\n      }\n    }\n  ]\n}\n\u003c\/script\u003e\n\n\u003cscript type=\"application\/ld+json\"\u003e\n{\n  \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n  \"@type\": \"Product\",\n  \"name\": \"Automated Ceilometer Cloud Base Estimator\",\n  \"description\": \"Pulsed IR laser and photodiode measure return time to estimate cloud base height. BMP280 corrects for air density.\",\n  \"sku\": \"CDN-KIT-0140\",\n  \"brand\": {\"@type\": \"Brand\", \"name\": \"Compoden\"},\n  \"offers\": {\n    \"@type\": \"Offer\",\n    \"url\": \"https:\/\/compoden.in\/products\/kit-automated-ceilometer-cloud-base-estimator\",\n    \"priceCurrency\": \"INR\",\n    \"price\": \"5425\",\n    \"availability\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\/InStock\",\n    \"seller\": {\"@type\": \"Organization\", \"name\": \"Compoden\"}\n  },\n  \"category\": \"Weather \u0026 Environment\"\n}\n\u003c\/script\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eChoose your assembly option:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSoldering Kit\u003c\/strong\u003e — 25W soldering iron, 60\/40 solder wire, flux, and small perfboard for permanent assembly.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBreadboard Combo\u003c\/strong\u003e — 800-point full-size breadboard with 65-piece jumper wire pack for solderless prototyping.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Compoden","offers":[{"title":"Soldering Kit","offer_id":53459770802541,"sku":"CDN-KIT-0140-SLD","price":4760.0,"currency_code":"INR","in_stock":true},{"title":"Breadboard Combo","offer_id":53459770835309,"sku":"CDN-KIT-0140-BB","price":4150.0,"currency_code":"INR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0999\/3997\/5533\/files\/kit-automated-ceilometer-cloud-base-estimator.png?v=1781944261","url":"https:\/\/compoden.com\/products\/kit-automated-ceilometer-cloud-base-estimator","provider":"Compoden","version":"1.0","type":"link"}