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Wed, 07 Oct 2026

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 Rainmakers: The drones used to seed clouds

Cloud seeding is gaining attention as countries look to boost rainfall - will drones help?
A San Francisco-based company called Rainmaker has been conducting cloud-seeding experiments over Alaska using drones, but residents were not informed beforehand. The company claims that its technology produced 19 million US gallons of water in three hours by dispersing silver iodide into clouds to form ice crystals. However, critics argue that the safety and efficacy of this method are questionable. The use of cloud seeding is a long-standing technique that involves injecting substances like silver iodide into clouds to enhance precipitation. While it has been around for over 80 years, its effectiveness remains uncertain. According to Assistant State Climatologist Jon Meyer, cloud seeding can only increase precipitation by about 5-10% under ideal conditions. Rainmaker's CEO Augustus Doricko claims that the company releases silver iodide at a rate of 20 grams per flight, which is distributed across thousands of square kilometers. He argues that this concentration is far below the threshold set by regulatory bodies. However, critics like Cooper Freeman, the Alaska director of the Center for Biological Diversity, remain skeptical about the safety and environmental impact of these experiments. The use of cloud seeding is becoming increasingly popular as a means to combat water scarcity. Over 50 countries are developing programs to modify the weather, but concerns about safety and efficacy persist. Researchers are exploring alternative seeding agents, such as a protein made from amino acids found in soil, which is being tested by Recast Systems. As the demand for cloud-seeding services grows, innovators like Rainmaker are developing new technologies to improve the effectiveness of these operations. However, the industry still faces challenges related to the environmental impact and safety of its practices.