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India Today
18 hours ago
- Science
- India Today
Artificial rain in Jaipur through pilot drone project to revive Ramgarh Lake
A pilot project to create artificial rain using drones was launched on Tuesday in Jaipur with the aim of reviving Ramgarh Lake and improving water availability in drought-hit areas of initiative, led by Agriculture Minister Dr Kirori Lal Meena, is the first in India to combine drone-based cloud seeding with artificial intelligence (AI).The technology, developed by US and Bengaluru-based firm Gen X AI, uses an AI-powered platform called "Hydro Trace" to identify suitable clouds for seeding using real-time data, satellite images and Once the right conditions are detected, drones release small amounts of seeding agents such as sodium chloride to help form 60-day mission will involve around 60 test flights, with drones expected to fly four to five times a month, depending on weather from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) will be processed to time the seeding project has approvals from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, Agriculture Department, Meteorological Department and local the first day, the trial did not go as planned. The GPS signal was disrupted due to heavy mobile usage by the large crowd present, preventing the drone from reaching its target one attempt, it failed to lift off properly, and in another, it became stuck in bushes near the situation briefly caused tension between onlookers and police, but was brought under control. The technical team said future trials will have restricted public access and measures to avoid signal to Gen X AI founder Rakesh Agarwal, earlier cloud seeding efforts in India used aircraft over large areas, but drones allow precision targeting of small could make artificial rain possible in specific locations, such as farms affected by dry spells despite monsoon clouds. The team has been monitoring weather patterns in Jaipur for the past 20 Climate Engineer Dr N Sai Bhaskar Reddy of Excel-1, a partner in the project, said that Tuesday's plan was to fly the drone up to 400 feet, but current cloud formations are higher than that. The trial, originally scheduled for July 31, was postponed due to heavy rain Meena assured that the chemicals used are safe for people, animals and crops, and meet international standards. If successful, the project could help raise lake and groundwater levels, improve farm irrigation, and increase crop experiment is being funded by Gen X AI, which will share its findings with the Rajasthan government after two the trial works, similar operations could be launched in other drought-prone areas of the state and across scientist Kalyan Chakraborty said such drone-based precision cloud seeding has been used in the US before, but this is the first attempt in India.- Ends IN THIS STORY#Jaipur
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Climate
- Hindustan Times
Rajasthan to carry out India's first drone-based artificial rain trial today: Details of cloud seeding
Rajasthan will on Tuesday carry out India's first drone-based artificial rain experiment, replacing aeroplanes with unmanned aerial vehicles for cloud seeding. Cloud seeding is a weather modification technique that improves a cloud's ability to produce rain. (HT file photo) The pilot project, aimed at inducing rainfall, will be inaugurated by state agriculture minister Kirodi Lal Meena at 2pm near Jaipur's Ramgarh Dam. How will it work? Around 60 drones will take part in the initiative, a joint effort between the Rajasthan agriculture department and GenX AI, a technology firm with bases in the US and Bengaluru. The drones will spray special chemicals into clouds to trigger the formation of water droplets, which could lead to rain. The launch event will also be open for residents to watch. The experiment, originally scheduled for July 31, was deferred due to heavy rain alerts. Since then, scientists have conducted multiple trials in Jaipur to ensure readiness. The project has secured approvals from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the India Meteorological Department, district authorities, and the agriculture department. Last month, while speaking to ANI, Meena said, 'For the first time, artificial rain will be done via drone. For this, American scientists came here, and all the departments related to the environment discussed to decide this... The drones will take a very high altitude, and then this will be done via cloud seeding in Ramgarh Dam.' What is cloud seeding? Cloud seeding is essentially about giving clouds a gentle push to release rain or snow. According to Bloomberg, cloud seeding involves using chemicals, often particles of silver iodide, to trigger the formation of ice crystals or droplets from water that's already present in a cloud but not being efficiently turned into rain. Though the technique has been studied for decades, it remains difficult to predict the additional rainfall that cloud seeding operations can generate, with estimates ranging widely from 0% to 20%. Does it really work? The science is promising, but not magic. Studies suggest cloud seeding can increase rainfall or snowfall by 5–15% under the right conditions. For instance, a major project in Idaho, USA, proved that silver iodide could indeed make super-cooled clouds produce more snow. But it doesn't work if there are no clouds to begin with.
NDTV
a day ago
- Climate
- NDTV
India's First Drone Cloud Seeding Trial In Rajasthan Today: Know All About It
Rajasthan is set to conduct India's first-ever drone-based artificial rain experiment on Tuesday. Drones, rather than aeroplanes, will be used for cloud seeding, a technique designed to induce rainfall. Agriculture Minister Kirodi Lal Meena will officially inaugurate the event at 2 pm near Ramgarh Dam in Jaipur. A First-Of-Its-Kind Trial Around 60 drones will participate in this pilot project, a collaboration between the Rajasthan Agriculture Department and GenX AI, a technology company based in the United States and Bengaluru. The drones will release special chemicals into clouds, encouraging water droplets to form and eventually fall as rain. The launch event at Ramgarh Dam will also be open to locals to witness. Initially scheduled for July 31, the experiment was postponed due to heavy rain warnings. Since then, scientists have been in Jaipur conducting multiple drone trials to ensure it was ready. The project has received approvals from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), India Meteorological Department, District Administration, and the Agriculture Department. What Is Cloud Seeding? How It Works Cloud seeding is a weather modification technique that stimulates rainfall by introducing specific chemicals into clouds. Commonly used substances are silver iodide, sodium chloride (table salt), or dry ice. When released into moisture-laden clouds, these particles act as "seeds" around which water droplets gather. As the droplets grow heavier, they eventually fall to the ground as rain. Usually, cloud seeding is carried out using aeroplanes or helicopters that fly into or above clouds to release these substances. For cloud seeding to be effective, the clouds must contain sufficient moisture. Without enough water vapour in the clouds, even the release of these chemicals will not trigger rainfall. Why Use Drones For Cloud Seeding? Drones are more cost-effective and precise than planes, allowing targeted rainmaking over small areas. They can be deployed quickly and repeatedly, making them ideal for localised cloud seeding, especially useful in drought-prone regions like Rajasthan. Potential Benefits For Rajasthan Rajasthan often has monsoon clouds but receives insufficient rainfall, harming agriculture and livelihoods. If successful, drone-based artificial rain can provide timely, targeted rainfall to save crops in dry areas. This experiment could pave the way for advanced climate solutions in arid and semi-arid regions. Cloud Seeding Costs In 2023, an artificial rain attempt at Bhaisunda Dam in Chittorgarh using planes cost around Rs 10 crore, but failed due to insufficient moisture in the clouds. Delhi's first cloud seeding trial, scheduled between August 30 to September 10, is budgeted at Rs 3.21 crore. Modified aircraft will disperse silver iodide nanoparticles, iodised salt, and rock salt into clouds to trigger rain and reduce air pollution.
India Today
a day ago
- Climate
- India Today
Rajasthan launches first-ever drone cloud seeding experiment for rain. Key details
Rajasthan is rolling out something new today, India's first drone cloud seeding trial near Ramgarh Dam in Jaipur. Starting at 2 pm, Agriculture Minister Kirodi Lal Meena will launch a one-of-its-kind pilot where 60 drones release rain-making chemicals into seeding isn't magic, it's a method that helps clouds with enough moisture release rain by injecting particles like silver iodide or salt. Traditionally, aircraft have done this. Today's experiment brings in drones, offering sharper control and quicker pilot is a joint effort between the Rajasthan Agriculture Department and US-Bengaluru firm GenX AI, using AI to steer each drone precisely. It's especially useful for arid areas like Rajasthan that find monsoon clouds but often miss out on rain where it's needed. The event was planned for July 31, but heavy rain warnings pushed it back to today. In the meantime, scientists have been carrying out test runs in Jaipur to get things safety checks are in place, a string of approvals from the Agriculture Department, Meteorological Department, District Administration, and the DGCA have already come through. Locals have been invited to watch this live real hope riding on this test. In 2023, a cloud-seeding effort at Chittorgarh's Bhaisunda Dam cost around Rs 10 crore, but failed because moisture was low. If drones can target just the right clouds, this could be a big win for farmers and drought response in Rajasthan.- Ends
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First Post
a day ago
- Climate
- First Post
Rajasthan: Artificial rain trial by cloud seeding to be held in Jaipur's Ramgarh Dam today
In what is being said as the first of its kind of trial in the country, the Rajasthan government will join hands with a private company to conduct the trial for artificial rain from cloud seeding in Rajasthan's Ramgarh Dam today. read more The Rajasthan government's agriculture department and a private company are scheduled to conduct a cloud seeding trial in Jaipur on Tuesday aimed at producing artificial rain. This is said to be the first of its kind of an experiment in the country. Cloud seeding is a technique that involves triggering rainfall from clouds that have moisture but are not raining yet. Despite the name, the process is not completely artificial as the technique cannot produce rainfall out of thin air but can only trigger rainfall from existing clouds. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Rajasthan's agriculture department has joined hands with a Bengaluru-based company, GenX AI, to conduct the trial at Jaipur's Ramgarh Dam area at around 2 pm on Tuesday, according to CNN-News 18. The idea behind the trial is to explore the possibility of using such techniques as a drought relief measure in Rajasthan. The report said that GenX AI will conduct 60 cloud seeding test drives as part of the collaboration with the state's agriculture department. Separately, Rajasthan Agriculture Minister Kirori Lal Meena said that American scientists were involved in the experiment and all relevant approvals had been taken from the Union government. 'For the first time, artificial rain will be done via drone. For this, American scientists came here, and all the departments related to the environment discussed to decide this… All the departments of the government have given a No Objection Certificate (NOC), and now only the NOC from the Civil Aviation Ministry is required… The drones will take a very high altitude, and then this will be done via cloud seeding in Ramgarh Dam,' Meena told ANI. A unique feature of this experiment will be that this will be the first time drones will be used in such an experiment, the report said, adding that only piloted aircraft have been used in such experiments so far. Cloud seeding involves the targeting the right clouds that have moisture but are not precipitating effectively. These clouds are targeted with chemicals, such as silver iodide, potassium iodide, or dry ice, that trigger water vapours to become larger and heavier. Once they are heavy enough, they fall as droplets and rainfall —or snowfall in some cases— takes place. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD However, there are important caveats with the exercises as it is not certain that it will always lead to rainfall. Two years ago, the state government conducted another trial with Rs 10 crore but there was no rainfall.
