From May to October each year, Vietnam enters its rainy season from north to south, with rain-induced floods causing over $500 million in annual economic losses. In this battle against nature, a seemingly simple mechanical device—the tipping bucket rain gauge—is undergoing digital transformation to become the core sensor of Vietnam’s smart water management system.
In the laboratory of Hanoi University of Water Resources, Professor Tran Van Hung’s team is testing their third-generation solar-powered tipping bucket rain gauge: “Since its invention in the 19th century, the working principle of the tipping bucket rain gauge has remained largely unchanged—rainwater collects through a funnel, and every 0.1mm or 0.5mm of accumulated water triggers the bucket to tip, calculating rainfall through counting. But we’ve added an IoT module.”
Key Technological Breakthroughs:
- Dual-bucket alternating design maintains ±3% accuracy even during heavy rain
- Built-in self-cleaning system adapts to Vietnam’s humid and dusty environment
- Solar + lithium battery power enables 2 years of operation in remote mountainous areas
- Data transmission via LoRaWAN network with a coverage radius of 15km
In the Can Tho City Water Management Dispatch Center, a large screen displays real-time rainfall data from 13 provinces and cities in the delta. “We have deployed 1,200 tipping bucket rain monitoring points,” says Director Nguyen Thi Huong. “Last rainy season, the system provided a 3-hour early warning for extreme rainfall in An Giang Province, increasing evacuation time by 50% and directly reducing economic losses by approximately $8 million.”
Data Application Scenarios:
- Agricultural irrigation optimization: Rubber plantations in Tay Ninh Province adjusted irrigation based on rainfall data, saving 38% water
- Urban flood warning: Ho Chi Minh City deployed rain gauges at 30 flood-prone locations, achieving 92% warning accuracy
- Hydropower: Hoa Binh Hydroelectric Plant improved power generation efficiency by 7% using upstream rainfall data
“International-brand tipping bucket rain gauges cost over $2,000 per unit and struggle to adapt to tropical climates,” says Le Quang Hai, founder of Hanoi-based TechRain. “Our TR-200 model costs only $650 but includes localized features like anti-insect designs and salt spray-resistant coatings.”
Characteristics of the Vietnamese Market:
- Policy-driven: According to Vietnam’s Strategy for Hydrometeorological Development to 2030, 5,000 new automatic rainfall stations will be added
- Industrial chain formation: Sensor manufacturing companies are emerging in Da Nang and Hai Phong
- Technology integration: Multi-purpose monitoring stations combining ”tipping bucket rain gauge + camera + water level gauge” have appeared
On YouTube, the science channel “Vietnamese Science Youth” garnered 1.2 million views for its video “Tearing Down a Tipping Bucket Rain Gauge.” TikTok videos under the hashtag #DoLuongMua (rain measurement) have accumulated over 20 million plays.
Grassroots Innovation Examples:
- Farmers in Thanh Hoa Province built simple rain gauges using discarded plastic buckets + Arduino controllers
- Ho Chi Minh City university students developed an NFT platform for rainfall data, turning rain data into digital collectibles
- Weather enthusiasts created the ”Vietnam Rainfall Map” crowdsourcing website, integrating official and homemade device data
Opportunities:
- AI prediction: Hanoi University of Science and Technology is training flood prediction models based on rainfall data
- Satellite calibration: Using Japanese GPM satellite data to calibrate ground-based rain gauge networks
- Cross-border cooperation: Sharing Mekong River basin rainfall data with China, Laos, and Cambodia
Challenges:
- 12% equipment theft rate in northern mountainous areas
- Approximately 8% equipment damage rate during typhoon season
- Local budget constraints lead to equipment update cycles as long as 10 years
- Complete set of servers and software wireless module, supports RS485 GPRS /4g/WIFI/LORA/LORAWAN
For more rain gauges information,
please contact Honde Technology Co., LTD.
Email: info@hondetech.com
Company website: www.hondetechco.com
Tel: +86-15210548582
Post time: Dec-12-2025