About 70 million liters of rain was produced in Alaska using drones — it took 3 hours
Nearly 70 million liters of rain was generated in Alaska using drones — it took 3 hours
The American startup Rainmaker conducted an experiment on cloud seeding using drones on the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska. According to the company's calculations, this technology allowed for the generation of approximately 19 million gallons (nearly 70 million liters) of additional water as precipitation in just three hours.
Drones made 10 flights, dispersing silver iodide particles into clouds at altitudes between 3,500 and 4,200 meters above sea level. Rainmaker plans to use this method to combat drought and replenish water systems in the western United States.
Rainmaker works with a method called "glaciogenic seeding" of clouds. This technology is typically used at temperatures below −5 °C: particles that help form ice crystals are introduced into the clouds, which then fall as snow or rain. Silver iodide is most commonly used for this.
The company combines this long-known method with modern drones and weather monitoring systems. Its "Elijah" drone, in particular, is designed for autonomous flight at high altitudes even under severe icing conditions. Meanwhile, the "Stratus" software platform predicts favorable conditions, controls mission execution, and helps estimate precipitation amounts based on radar and satellite data.
In the future, Rainmaker will protect and restore glaciers by generating artificial snow. The current demonstration itself shows how Rainmaker could add new water reserves to the Colorado River and the Great Salt Lake in the coming months, says Rainmaker CEO Augustus Dorico.
Rainmaker says it has previously achieved results in Utah, Idaho, and Oregon. According to its own data, the company has generated a total of more than 145 million gallons (approximately 550 million liters) of additional precipitation over four months. This volume is equivalent to the annual water consumption of nearly 1,800 American households.
The startup was founded in 2023 and has already managed to secure contracts with administrations and water management organizations in the western US states. The company has also raised more than $50 million in investment. In the future, it is planned to apply this technology in regions suffering from water scarcity, including the Colorado River basin and the Great Salt Lake area.
Scientists and local authorities have been experimenting with cloud seeding since the mid-20th century. However, in recent years, interest in this technology has increased against the backdrop of droughts, as well as the development of drones, weather monitoring systems, and artificial intelligence. At the same time, climatologists emphasize that even effective "cloud seeding" cannot eliminate the consequences of climate change and prolonged droughts.