Enhanced nationwide weather forecasts: A network of Meteodrones in Norway
Meteomatics’ Meteodrones and Meteobases are being utilized in the MAGDA project to enhance atmospheric observations in agricultural areas across France, Italy, and Romania. By measuring weather data from the crucial boundary layer of the atmosphere, Meteodrones improve weather forecasts. Pairing a Meteodrone with a Meteobase allows remote operation, eliminating the need for local pilots and reducing costs. A single operator can manage multiple drones from a centralized location, even at a significant distance.
Meteomatics To Install 30 Meteobases Across Norway
Meteodrones, already in use in Europe, North America, and Asia for specific projects, are now to be part of a national network for the first time. In collaboration with the Norwegian Research Centre (NORCE), Meteomatics is leading a multi-million euro initiative in Norway. By the end of 2025, 30 Meteodrones and Meteobases will be installed across the country, enhancing Norway’s weather prediction capabilities as part of a national strategy to safeguard against weather-related challenges.
Severe weather increasingly affects economies, infrastructure, and public safety, especially in Scandinavia, where winter storms, heavy rainfall, and forest fires are becoming more common. Traditional weather models struggle with these events due to limited data from the atmospheric boundary layer. NORCE and Meteomatics aim to address this with innovative weather technology for Norway.
Meteodrones: A Solution to the Lack of Data for Precise Forecasting
Meteodrones provide a sustainable alternative to radiosondes, the current technology for collecting weather data from the lower and middle atmosphere. Unlike single-use radiosondes, which rely on expensive helium, Meteodrones can perform frequent, repeated measurements, offering more comprehensive data collection.
Project Set for Full Operation by End of 2025
This summer, Meteobases will be installed at meteorologically significant locations, with full operation expected by the end of 2025. Martin Fengler, CEO of Meteomatics, expressed pride in contributing to Norway’s weather preparedness efforts, highlighting the proven effectiveness of Meteodrones in other countries: “The technology readiness of our Meteodrones has already been demonstrated in several countries, and we’re excited to see our Meteodrones take flight in Norway.”
Meteodrones and EURO1k: A New Era of Meteorological Precision
The data on temperature, humidity, air pressure, and wind speed captured by the Meteodrones will be integrated into EURO1k, the high-resolution weather model exclusively developed by Meteomatics. EURO1k is an exceptional rapid-refresh numerical weather model that covers Europe, large parts of the East, and parts of North Africa with a resolution of 1 kilometer. Updated every hour, it provides the finest weather data sets for Europe.
By combining these advanced technologies, Meteomatics is setting the standard for a new era of meteorological precision. This initiative is expected to bring significant economic and societal benefits to Norway, improving renewable energy management, logistics, agriculture, and emergency services.
Author: Akemi Narindal-Aoki, PhD
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Keywords
Meteomatics, Meteodrones, weather drones
