Drones deployed for cloud seeding in Xinjiang

URUMQI, Sept. 3 (Xinhua) — Drones were deployed for cloud structure detection in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, boosting cloud seeding capacity to improve ecological environment conditions, according to China Meteorological Administration (CMA).
The experiment was carried out from Aug. 29 to Sept. 3 in Xinjiang’s Bayanbulak area. The large drone, measuring 10.5 meters in length, 3.1 meters in height and with a wingspan of 20.2 meters, can fly up to 40 hours, and at an altitude of up to 10,000 meters, covering a maximum distance of 8,000 km when fully loaded.
According to Cai Miao, a staffer with the Weather Modification Center of CMA, the large drone, equipped with a detection system, can more precisely identify the timing and conditions for precipitation, and increase cloud seeding capacity.
“Deploying drones in precipitation operations contributes to improving regional ecological environment, vegetation growth, and enhancing water conservation capacity,” Cai said. ■