The WindSonic is not suitable for measuring the vertical wind component. The WindSonic measures the wind that passes through its measurement volume. It does not care what the orientation is. If the WindSonic is turned on its side, the reflecting top and body of the sensor will cause massive flow distortion of the wind vector, specifically for the horizontal component that is perpendicular to the reflective top. This flow distortion will most likely result in erroneous vertical wind measurements.