Rainmaker Technology’s bid to deploy cloud-seeding flares on small drones is running into turbulence. The Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) has urged the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to deny the startup’s request unless stricter safety conditions are met.
The FAA’s upcoming decision could set a precedent for how the regulator handles weather modification projects using unmanned aerial systems. For Rainmaker, the ruling could determine whether its drone-based approach takes flight.
Pilots’ Union Raises Safety Alarms
ALPA told the FAA that Rainmaker’s petition “fails to demonstrate an equivalent level of safety” and poses “an extreme safety risk.” The union highlighted unclear details about flight altitudes, airspace, and the use of flares, raising concerns over potential debris, fire hazards, and environmental impacts.
The union also noted that Rainmaker’s Elijah quadcopter, which carries the flares, has a maximum altitude of 15,000 feet MSL — inside controlled airspace used by commercial jets. Without precise flight data, ALPA says the plan risks collisions.
Rainmaker Pushes Back
Rainmaker CEO Augustus Doricko countered that the objections were based only on the public notice, not the non-public documents submitted to the FAA that include risk mitigations. He said operations would be restricted to predetermined safe airspace with coordination from aviation authorities.
“Independent bodies like the EPA and multiple state agencies have studied cloud-seeding materials for over 70 years and never found any adverse effect,” Doricko said, dismissing ALPA’s environmental concerns.
Sam Kim, Rainmaker’s aviation regulatory manager, added that the use of flares is for research only, in controlled environments, and will eventually be replaced by the company’s proprietary aerosol system.
Cloud-Seeding With Drones
Cloud-seeding is not new. Since the 1950s, silver iodide has been sprayed into clouds to stimulate precipitation. Today, state agencies, water districts, and ski resorts commission crewed flights for this purpose.
Rainmaker’s approach swaps piloted planes for drones, aiming to reduce risks to human pilots while expanding precision and scalability. The company says a typical operation disperses 50–100 grams of silver iodide — far less than the emissions released in a single hour of commercial flight.
Flights would take place over rural areas and private lands where Rainmaker has agreements with property owners, the company said. Operations would also include certified pilots, collision-avoidance systems, and coordination with local air traffic control.
What Comes Next
The FAA has not yet ruled on Rainmaker’s petition, filed in July. Instead, it issued a follow-up request for more details on operations and safety. The decision will shape how regulators treat novel weather-modification efforts that use drones instead of planes.
If approved, Rainmaker’s plan could shift the decades-old practice of cloud-seeding into a new era of unmanned systems. If rejected, the company may be forced to refine its technology or safety approach before moving forward.
Either way, the FAA’s ruling will mark a defining moment in the future of drone-assisted weather modification.
