Meteomatics’ Meteodrone Launches as Part of GrandSKY’s Micro Weather Service
DRONELIFE Staff Writer Ian M. Crosby
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Now a weather information and technology company meteorology First U.S. Meteor Drone Autonomous Flight System Launched in North Dakota GrandSKY Aviation park. Able to reach altitudes of up to 20,000 feet, Meteodrone is able to fill the meteorological data gaps in the lower and mid-atmosphere regions critical to the predictability and reliability of aviation and business forecasting.
Meteomatics collaborates with GrandSKY and low-altitude weather technology experts True Weather Solution Developing the first state-wide micro-weather service in the United States in North Dakota. Meteomatics’ high-resolution forecasting models consider all weather details, data points and parameters within a given square kilometer, powering TruWeather’s decision-making analytics to deliver 9x better than the best available government services Enables detailed real-time weather forecasts. The service provides GrandSKY’s Weather Operations Center with the most accurate weather information available, enabling them to detect weather conditions that impact flight decisions, safety and schedules.
Meteodrone can be operated manually from a remote ground control station, or it can take off and land autonomously vertically in combination with the Meteobase Autonomous Drone Station. GrandSKY has received special approval from the FAA to fly Meteor Drones up to 9,000 feet, compared to its normal flight clearance of 400 feet. Meteomatics has developed a very high resolution weather model for Europe known as EURO1k. The company is currently developing the North Dakota 1K model as the basis for North Dakota weather intelligence.
“The work we are doing with GrandSKY and TruWeather Solutions explores the real-world need for highly accurate weather data and how it can impact mission-critical decision-making around the clock. ,” said Meteomatics North America CEO Paul Walsh. “This is not just true in the aviation sector. Weather plays a huge role in the operations of organizations around the world. We are proud of the opportunities that open up as a result of filling them.”
Both the Meteor Drone launch and collaboration were supported by North Dakota Senator John Hoven. Hoeven has taken great responsibility for making Grand Forks the epicenter of unmanned aerial vehicles in the country. Due to the state’s flat terrain, the weather system can change rapidly, causing sudden changes in temperature and precipitation, all of which pose risks to beyond-the-line-of-sight (BVLOS) operations. After launching in North Dakota, Meteomatics plans to expand across the United States through industries such as energy, automotive, aviation, agriculture, insurance and supply chain.
“We are proud of our many firsts in the UAS space. This new microweather service will be a first for the state and country. There will be more flights around it,” said GrandSKY President Thomas Swayer Jr. Meteomatics, TruWeather Solutions, Northern Plains Test Site, and the 319th Reconnaissance Wing each brought their own unique skill sets to bring this project to where it is today. Together we have developed a robust weather data collection system unlike any other in the country. This will allow GrandSKY to provide highly accurate weather forecasts. ”
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Ian attended Dominican University in California and graduated with a BA in English in 2019. With her lifelong passion for writing and storytelling and keen interest in technology, she now contributes to her DroneLife as a staff writer.
Miriam McNabb, editor-in-chief of DRONELIFE and CEO of professional drone services marketplace JobForDrones, is a keen observer of the emerging drone industry and drone regulatory environment. Miriam is an international speaker and industry recognized figure, with over 3,000 articles focused on the commercial drone space. Miriam has a degree from the University of Chicago and he has over 20 years of experience in high tech sales and marketing new technologies.
For drone industry consulting or writing, email Miriam.
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