What instrument did Leonardo da Vinci sketch for measuring wind speed?

Leonardo da Vinci sketched an anemometer for measuring wind speed.

His design used a light, movable plate that was pushed upward by the wind. A graduated scale could then indicate the strength of the airflow. The instrument was not the cup-shaped anemometer familiar today, but it expressed the same basic scientific goal: converting wind pressure or movement into a readable measurement.

Leonardo’s notes show his interest in meteorology, flight, and the behavior of air. Understanding wind was important to his studies of birds and proposed flying machines, because wind direction and force would affect lift and control.

An anemometer should not be confused with a barometer. A barometer measures atmospheric pressure, while an anemometer measures wind speed. Leonardo’s sketch is an early example of a scientific instrument designed for systematic observation rather than artistic illustration alone.