Development of Lightning Detector Based on the AS3935 Sensor
Abstract
Abstract. This paper presents the development and experimental validation of a portable lightning detector based on the AS3935 sensor and an ESP32-S3 microcontroller platform. The study addresses the increasing need for affordable and mobile devices capable of early detection of atmospheric electrical discharges under conditions of rising extreme weather events. After analyzing the existing industrial and research solutions, the AS3935 radio-frequency sensor was chosen due to its high sensitivity, low power consumption and built-in noise rejection algorithms. A complete hardware and software system was designed and implemented, including the schematic of the device, data acquisition and signal processing routines, and an OLED display for real-time user notification. The event-driven software architecture enables efficient power usage by placing the microcontroller in a standby mode until an interrupt from the sensor occurs. The device can distinguish between real lightning discharges and electrical disturbances, estimate the distance to the lightning source up to 40 km and display corresponding messages such as “Lightning detected” or “Disturber detected”. User interaction is simplified to three stages: power connection and automatic system initialization, continuous background monitoring, and optional manual enabling or disabling of detection via the BOOT button with instant visual feedback on the display. Prototype testing confirmed correct functioning, reliability, and suitability for field use. The proposed system can be applied by farmers, emergency services, tourists, and power facility operators to enhance safety and preparedness. Future work will focus on integrating GPS and cloud connectivity for remote monitoring and adding mobile application support, thereby extending the functionality of the detector.
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