New trials show how ship-launched weather drones can close critical observation gaps at sea
The U.S. Navy and weather technology company Meteomatics have completed a new demonstration that could change how weather data is collected at sea. As part of the Advanced Naval Technology Exercise (ANTX) in the Mississippi Sound near Gulfport, the Navy tested Meteomatics’ automated Meteodrones from a moving vessel. The trial aimed to address a long-standing gap in atmospheric data over the open ocean that impacts mission safety and readiness.
Why Better Weather Data Matters for Naval Operations
Many naval missions depend on accurate, local weather conditions. However, gathering these insights at sea has remained a major challenge. Weather balloons are difficult to launch and track from a moving ship, while satellites lack the detail needed for tactical planning. These limits create a blind spot in the lower levels of the atmosphere, the zone where weather most affects aircraft operations, radar systems, and mission decisions.
Kevin Lacroix, Weather Services Technology Lead at the Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command, described the long-standing challenge. “For the last decade, U.S. military weather services have sought to consistently and reliably measure the atmosphere over the open ocean to improve forecast accuracy and identify atmospheric anomalies,” he said. “Products with the capability to collect-high resolution, real-time atmospheric data, repeatedly, in environments of interest are valuable to military weather services for sensing the maritime boundary layer of the atmosphere.”
Testing Meteodrones from a Moving Ship
To meet this need, the Navy tested the Meteodrone system’s ability to launch and recover from a moving vessel at speeds between 1.5 knots and 16 knots. During the exercise, Meteodrones operated under FAA regulations to collect full vertical atmospheric profiles, including temperature, humidity, pressure, dew point, and wind.
Across multiple runs, the drones launched, climbed, collected data, and returned safely to the vessel. Their performance showed that autonomous weather drones can operate reliably in a maritime setting.
With this real-time data, mission teams can better assess risks during takeoffs, landings, and in-flight operations. Improved understanding of atmospheric conditions can also strengthen radar and communication performance.
Lacroix said the operational impact could extend beyond forecasting. “Beyond the weather forecasting improvements the real-time information gathered by the Meteodrone give us, we have an opportunity to feed critical information into our electromagnetic tactical decision aids, making the safety and security of the ship and the battlegroup more effective by optimizing our radar performance,” he noted. “Ship captains will have the confidence to make rapid decisions knowing that the METOC team has given them every advantage possible.”
What the Demonstration Means for the Navy
Meteomatics sees the trial as a strong signal of what comes next. Brad Guay, Head of Government & Defense Solutions at Meteomatics, said the test proved both the technical and practical value of the system.
“This demonstration underscored not just the technical success of our Meteodrones, but also the practical value of capturing critical weather data at sea. By proving that launches and recoveries can be achieved from moving vessels, we’ve shown how Meteomatics can help the Navy bridge one of the most significant gaps in operational forecasting,” Guay said.
The company plans to continue working with the Navy and other government partners to expand the system from demonstrations to broader operational use.
Read more:
- Meteomatics Introduces Meteoglider: A Sustainable Alternative to Weather Balloons
- Meteomatics Introduces High-Resolution Weather Model for U.S. Market
- Norwegian Government Partners with Meteomatics to Enhance Weather Prediction
Miriam McNabb is the Editor-in-Chief of DRONELIFE and CEO of JobForDrones, a professional drone services marketplace, and a fascinated observer of the emerging drone industry and the regulatory environment for drones. Miriam has penned over 3,000 articles focused on the commercial drone space and is an international speaker and recognized figure in the industry. Miriam has a degree from the University of Chicago and over 20 years of experience in high tech sales and marketing for new technologies.
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