Pilot Union Calls on FAA to Block Rainmaker’s Controversial Drone Cloud-Seeding Proposal

Pilot Union Calls on FAA to Block Rainmaker’s Controversial Drone Cloud-Seeding Proposal

The skies above could soon be filled with drones seeding clouds, but not everyone is happy about it. Rainmaker, a company specializing in weather modification technology, has proposed a revolutionary plan to use drones for cloud seeding operations across several states. However, the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), the largest pilot union in the world, is urging the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to reject the proposal, citing significant safety concerns. Cloud Seeding with Drones: A Promising Technology Cloud seeding is a weather modification technique that attempts to increase precipitation by dispersing substances into the air that serve as cloud condensation or ice nuclei, which alter the microphysical processes within the cloud. Traditionally, cloud seeding is done using aircraft, but Rainmaker proposes using a fleet of autonomous drones. This approach, they argue, is more efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly. The benefits of using drones for cloud seedi…