As early as 1738, Swiss Daniel Bernoulli used the Bernoulli equation as a basis to measure water flow using differential pressure method. Later, Italian G.B. Venturi studied the use of Venturi tubes to measure flow and published the research results in 1791.

In 1886, American Herschel used a Venturi tube to create a practical measuring device for measuring water flow.

In the early to mid-20th century, the original measurement principles gradually matured, and people no longer limited their thinking to the original measurement methods, but began new explorations.

In the 1930s, the method of using sound waves to measure the flow rate of liquids and gases emerged, but there was not much progress until World War II. It was not until 1955 that the Maxson flowmeter, which applied the sound cycle method, was introduced to measure the flow rate of aviation fuel.

After the 1960s, measuring instruments began to develop towards precision and miniaturization.