Rainmaker Technology’s bid for implementing cloudy torches on small drones is fulfilled by resistance from the Aviation Pilots Union, which has called on the federal aviation management to consider refusing the request of the startup unless it meets stricter security guidelines.
FAA’s decision will signal how the regulator considers weather modification of unmanned air systems in the future. Rainmaker’s efforts on small drones hang in balance.
Air Line Pilots Association (Alpa) told FAA that Rainmaker’s petition “does not show a similar level of security” and pose “an extreme security risk.”
However, Rainmaker CEO Augustus Doricko said an email that all the union’s objections are based only on public communication rather than non-public documents submitted to FAA, outlining all the company’s security data and risk limits.
Rainmaker seeks exemption from rules that prevent small drones from carrying dangerous materials. The startup that was filed in July and FAA has not yet regulated. Instead, it issued a follow -up request for information and pressed on details of operations and security.
In his filing, Rainmaker suggested using two flare types, one “burn-in-place” and the other broadcast on his Elijah Quadcopter, to spread particles that stimulate rainfall. Elijah has a maximum height of 15,000 feet MSL (measured from the sea surface), which sits inside controlled airspace, where commercial airlines are routinely flying. Drones need permission from air traffic control to fly inside this bubble.
Rainmaker’s petition says it will work in Class G (uncontrolled) airspace unless otherwise approved. Alpa notes that the archiving does not clearly indicate where aircraft will occur or what heights would be used. However, Doricko said that the documents presented to a few revealed that in addition to the flights limited to a maximum height of 15,000 feet MSL, they will be carried out in the airspace predetermined to be safe by the aviation authorities, “Canceling any reasonable concern for high height flight or airspace coordination.” Alpa did not respond to TechCrunch’s requests for comment.
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The Union also objects to the fact that the torches themselves refer to concern for foreign object residues and fire safety. ALPA points out that the petition does not include trajectory modeling of the draft cabinets or analysis of the environmental impact of chemical agents.
“As regards their objection to the use of torches, independent bodies such as this administration’s EPA and several state departments of natural resources have been investigating spread and environmental security of materials used in cloud seeds for over 70 years, and have never found any negative impact from cloud seeds,” Doricko said.
Sam Kim, Rainmaker’s Aviation Regulatory Manager, said the company respects the pilot’s union and hopes to “continue to strengthen our relationship with the organization” but claimed that the objection “shows a lack of understanding why Rainmaker has submitted for this exception.”
“Our use of torches in unmanned systems is solely for research purposes in a controlled flying environment and is not part of our larger ongoing operations,” added Kim.
Doricko said a typical rain maker surgery spreads 50-100 grams of silver Iodide, and far less than that in a flight with torches, while one hour of flight of a commercial plan releases kilograms of uncomfortable volatile organic fabrics, sulfur oxids and soot marker more material than a rain-rocker.
“Rainmaker is interested in doing the best, responsible atmospheric research, and thus compares torch with our proprietary aerosolic compulsion system, which will replace torches and only emit silver IDID. Alpa’s objection to this exemplifies their limited understanding of our Conop, all containing extensive risk limits in the non-Public documents that now go through,” Dorick.
“With regard to alpa’s concern about coordination with aviation authorities and airspace, our aircraft operations consist of television signals, intentional coordination with local ATC, certified pilots and a collision winding system involving electronic and physical observers,” he said.
However, Rainmaker says the flights will occur over rural areas and over properties owned by private landlords, “which Rainmaker has developed close working conditions.”
Cloud-Seeding is already happening today, largely in the western United States, with crew aircraft that have flown in coordination with state agencies. SKI Resorts Commission operations to help keep their races white, and irrigation and water districts fly them to build snow pack in winter to help feed their reservoirs during the spring melt.
The general practice of cloud seed dates back to the 1950s. By spraying small particles in certain clouds, scientists found that they could induce rainfall. Typically, cloud seed surgeries use silver Idide for the particles, mostly because they mimic the shape of ice crystals.
When a silver Iodide particle bumps into drops of water that is super -cooled, they cause the drop to quickly freeze because its water is already below freezing. When the ice crystal is formed, it can grow rapidly if conditions are correct, faster than a liquid water drop would under similar circumstances. Plus, the rapid growth helps the crystals stay longer than a drop of water, which may evaporate before it has a chance of falling as rainfall.
Rainmaker’s twist – doing this work with drones instead of pilots – could prove to be more secure in the longer term. The company points out that the flight profiles are closely defined, monitored by a remote pilot and trained crews over rural areas with other security checks in place.
What happens next is related to whether few believe that these mitigation are sufficient. However, it has been decided that the agency’s response is likely to set the tone of new cloud-eating approaches.
9/13/2025: The story has been updated to include Rainmaker’s comments from Augustus Doricko, founder and CEO, and Sam Kim, Rainmakers Aviation Regulatory Manager.