LAICO Smart DRONE is another of SELERYS's aerial cloud seeding platforms
SELERYS operates drone missions on any airframe, including fixed-wing, rotary-wing, VTOL, or multicopter. Most missions use rotary-wing and multicopter drones, which hold 5 m/s (the optimal speed for cloud seeding with hygroscopic salts) and withstand wind gusts of up to 15 m/s.
A cloud-seeding drone launches within 5 to 15 minutes from a single SMS or remote web command. It carries several flares of silver iodide (AgI) or hygroscopic salt, and sends live GPS and atmospheric data back to CIRRUS software.
LAICO Smart DRONE system at a glance
- Supports every airframe type, be it fixed-wing, rotary-wing, VTOL, or multicopter
- Uses one dedicated SELERYS Mission Manager across the whole drone fleet
- Triggers every mission remotely with a single SMS or web command
- Checks every flare's connection and runs its own pre-flight security checks, then launches the mission on its own
- Updates each flight plan dynamically as conditions change
- Can hold a 5 m/s seeding speed while hovering, with a 15 m/s wind-gust ceiling
- Sends GPS position, atmospheric readings, and live flare and drone stock levels back to CIRRUS in real time
Cloud-seeding drone or a balloon: what to choose
The choice between a balloon and a drone comes down to four factors: 1) the target cloud type, 2) the availability of qualified staff, 3) local aviation rules, and 4) the mission’s seeding strategy.
Unlike a LAICO cloud-seeding balloon system, which launches from a fixed, permanent launch station called SOBLI, a drone can be transported anywhere a mission needs it (so can the LAICO NOMAD balloon solution). In many countries, though, a drone needs clearance from the local aviation authorities before every flight, while a balloon does not. For this reason, balloons are the default for large territories, vineyards, orchards, mines, ski areas, and other long-term seeding targets.
Within one program, SELERYS can pair balloon launch stations with drones, ready to handle stable cloud systems. Every mission shows on the same CIRRUS dashboard, alongside data from the SKYDETECT radar and the EVEARLYS interferometer.
Advantages of drones
- Suited to stable cloud systems
- Can operate as part of a drone squad to cover an area
- Adapt to terrain by switching platforms (SELERYS can use several types of drone platforms)
- Follow the set route and carry out the mission autonomously, run by the dedicated SELERYS Mission Manager
- Fit into a client’s existing seeding program, working alongside balloons, planes, rockets, or ground generators
Coverage, flexibility, and efficiency
The SELERYS Mission Manager runs continuous, multi-target cloud seeding, keeping every drone mission on a set route to its own target and adding drones whenever coverage needs to grow. The launch infrastructure can run 24/7, day and night (where local regulations allow), ready the moment conditions call for a mission.
A drone’s flexibility comes at a cost, though. In most territories, aviation rules keep it out of turbulence, icing, and darkness. A LAICO Smart DRONE can also take longer to reach its target (up to 15 minutes), compared with under 5 minutes for a cloud seeding balloon. Still, a LAICO Smart DRONE beats a manned aircraft’s response time by a wide margin.
Carrying several flares lets a drone seed for longer in a single flight.
Coverage and efficiency at a glance
- Scalable coverage: more drones added to the same LAICO launch installation
- Platform chosen for each mission, automatic route planning, and autonomous timing of the agent release: target reached in 5 to 15 minutes
- A drone squad can seed several clouds
- Fleet-wide dashboard: a single CIRRUS view covering both drones and balloons
Safety and regulatory profile
A drone runs on battery power instead of fuel, while a cloud seeding balloon uses helium. The batteries need regular replacement, depending on how often the drones fly.
Just like a cloud seeding balloon, a drone carries flares containing silver iodide or hygroscopic salt. Each flare is checked before launch, then activated autonomously by the drone’s onboard intelligence once the drone reaches its target. Together with LAICO balloons, this makes LAICO Smart DRONE the safest drone-based cloud seeding solution available.
Drone missions fall under a regulatory framework as specific as that of a manned aircraft.
Safety and regulatory highlights
- Clearance required: the same licensed-operator sign-off as for a manned aircraft, before every mission
- Weather restrictions: cannot operate in the dark, or in turbulence and icing
- Time to target: 5 to 15 minutes even with the clearance step, versus hours of pre-flight preparation for a manned aircraft
- Seeding agent: silver iodide or hygroscopic salt
LAICO Smart DRONE use cases
Hail risk mitigation, precipitation enhancement (rain and snow), and fog dispersal missions all use the same LAICO launch stations for balloons and drones.
Drones are called in for stable cloud systems, or when the job is big enough to combine balloon-based and drone-based cloud seeding. On a fog dispersal mission, for example, a group of drones can spread out to clear a larger fog bank.
Where LAICO Smart DRONE can be used
- Hail risk mitigation: a drone gets within a reasonable distance of a hail-producing cell as it forms, or joins other drones to seed a large cloud system
- Rain enhancement: just like cloud seeding balloons, drones increase precipitation over territories, farmland, reservoirs, and hydropower catchments
- Snow enhancement: the same LAICO technology, adapted for cold-cloud conditions, builds a denser snowpack for ski areas and water utilities
- Fog dispersal: a multi-drone deployment seeds a fog bank
Comparing drone types for cloud seeding
Not every drone airframe suits cloud seeding equally well. The SELERYS engineering doctrine scores fixed-wing, VTOL, rotary-wing, and multicopter platforms against criteria relevant to a seeding mission: hovering at the right speed, deploying fast, and holding steady in wind. An independent study found that 5 m/s is the ideal speed for dispersing the hygroscopic agent, since a manned aircraft moving much faster breaks the agent’s particles down too small to work.
Fixed-wing and VTOL platforms win on raw range and flight time, but they can’t hover at 5 m/s or get close to the violent turbulence of a cumulonimbus cloud, the exact cloud type behind hail risk mitigation missions. Rotary-wing and multicopter platforms trade some range for both, which is why most LAICO Smart DRONE missions fly one or the other.
| Feature | Fixed-Wing | VTOL | Rotary-Wing | Multicopter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Autonomy (1+ hour) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ |
| Range (6+ km) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ |
| Top speed (80+ km/h) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Hovers at 5 m/s seeding speed | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Vertical take-off | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Payload capacity | ✓ | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Take-off infrastructure | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Deployment speed | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ |
| Maneuverability | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Wind resistance (15+ m/s) | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Ease of maintenance | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ |
| Cost | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ |
Frequently asked questions
What is LAICO Smart DRONE?
LAICO Smart DRONE is the drone-based cloud seeding system of SELERYS. The dedicated SELERYS Mission Manager operates the drone platform assigned to each mission fully autonomously, most often a rotary-wing or a multicopter.
Why does SELERYS support several drone platforms instead of one?
It depends on the mission: the terrain, how much space there is to land and take off, and what the local crew can maintain. Rotary-wing platforms, the most common choice, can reach seeding speeds of 5 m/s and handle wind gusts up to 15 m/s without drifting.
Does LAICO Smart DRONE need an operator?
Yes, if local regulations require it. Otherwise, the full mission can run autonomously. Where required, a licensed operator and flight clearance are needed before every mission, unlike LAICO balloons, which launch under a Full Freedom to Operate agreement (a specific protocol set up with the local civil aviation authority).
How fast can LAICO Smart DRONE reach its target?
Once cleared, CIRRUS software handles platform selection, the flight plan, and release timing, and guides the drone to its target in 5 to 15 minutes. A balloon can reach the cloud cell faster because it skips the systematic clearance step. A manned aircraft, with its hours of preparation, cannot compare with drones or balloons for cloud seeding.
When does SELERYS use a drone instead of a balloon?
A designated territory that needs repeated cloud seeding every season, such as a vineyard, favors balloons, as they need no operator and launch automatically within minutes. Conversely, a moving target, or a mission that has to move from one seeding target to the next, could sometimes favor a drone, provided the target clouds are stable. SELERYS can deploy both together when needed.
Can SELERYS fly more than one drone at a time?
Yes, because the job requires it: a single drone is not enough for a cloud seeding mission. Each drone handles a specific target, and nothing stops SELERYS from sending several out at once to divide a larger area among them.
What seeding agents does LAICO Smart DRONE carry?
Several flares loaded with silver iodide (AgI) or hygroscopic salt per drone, just like the SELERYS balloon fleet.
Does LAICO Smart DRONE work with SELERYS's other systems?
Yes. The drone streams its GPS position and atmospheric data to the CIRRUS software dashboard throughout the flight, so the operator can track every mission from one interface alongside SKYDETECT radar and EVEARLYS interferometer data.
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