Our Technology
Unique weather data from the planetary boundary layer
Our Technology
Unique weather data from the planetary boundary layer
Revolutionizing the world of weather forecasting, with data from 6km above ground level
Since the beginning of weather modeling, meteorologists have been faced with the problem of data shortages in the mid and lower levels of the atmosphere. Meteomatics has found the solution to overcome this challenge with the Meteodrones.
Meteomatics operates its own Meteodron program, which includes design, development and production of the drones. With the approval of the Swiss Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA), the Meteodrones can be flown beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) and within the regulated airspace in Switzerland, enabling data of the atmosphere up to 6 km above the ground to be collected. The results are assimilated into the in-house developed high-resolution model to provide incomparably precise local weather forecasts.

How data from 6km above ground revolutionizes the world of weather forecasting
Since the beginning of weather modeling, meteorologists have been faced with the problem of data shortages in the mid and lower levels of the atmosphere. Meteomatics has found the solution to overcome this challenge with the Meteodrones.
Meteomatics operates its own Meteodron program, which includes design, development and production of the drones. With the approval of the Swiss Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA), the Meteodrones can be flown beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) and within the regulated airspace in Switzerland, enabling data of the atmosphere up to 6 km above the ground to be collected. The results are assimilated into the in-house developed high-resolution model to provide incomparably precise local weather forecasts.

Permission to fly
Thanks to the approval of the Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA), Meteomatics is the first Swiss company that was awarded with a permission to fly multiple mini UAVs simultaneously beyond visual line of sight. Meaning that the Meteodrones are also approved to fly within clouds and fog. In 2017, this permission was extended allowing Meteodrones to operate beyond line of sight during the day under certain conditions. Including flights of up to 6 km above ground level.
Permission to fly
Thanks to the approval of the Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA), Meteomatics is the first Swiss company that was awarded with a permission to fly multiple mini UAVs simultaneously beyond visual line of sight. Meaning that the Meteodrones are also approved to fly within clouds and fog. In 2017, this permission was extended allowing Meteodrones to operate beyond line of sight during the day under certain conditions. Including flights of up to 6 km above ground level.
Technical Details
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Meteodrone SSE | Meteodrone MM-670 | Meteodrone MM-670 ML | |
Number of engines | 6 | 6 | 6 |
Take-off weight | ca. 1.1 kg | ca. 4.1 kg | ca. 4.2 kg |
Dimensions | 40 x 40 cm | 70 x 70 cm | 70 x 70 cm |
Max. climb rate | 10 m/s | 10 m/s | 10 m/s |
Max. wind speed | 100 km/h | 80 km/h | 80 km/h |
Max. flight altitude* | 1'500 m | 6'000 m ASL | 6'000 m ASL |
Max. flight duration | ca. 12 min | ca. 30 min | ca. 30 min |
Waterproof | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
Navigation lights | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Position lights | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Rescue system | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
Ground station | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
VLOS* | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
EVLOS* | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
BVLOS* | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
Measured parameters: | |||
- Sample rate | 250 ms | 250 ms | 250 ms |
- Temperature | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
- Wind speed | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
- Wind direction | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
- Dew point | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
- Air pressure | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Optional parameters: | |||
- Particular matter/ black carbon | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
- Ozone | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
- Radioactivity | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
Available formats: | |||
- WMO TEMP (FM35) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
- WMO TEMP MOBILE (FM38) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
- PILOT (FM32) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
- WMO PILOT MOBILE (FM34) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
- WMO BUFR | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
- CSV | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
*VLOS = Visual Line Of Sight
*EVLOS = Extended Visual Line Of Sight
*BVLOS = Beyond Visual Line of Sight
Postprocessing of measured data
Temporal profiles of selected weather parameters lead to a deeper understanding of atmospheric processes.

Temperature

Pressure

Relative Humidity

Wind Speed and Direction

Dew Point Temperature

Mixing Ratio
Technical Details
![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
|
Meteodrone SSE | Meteodrone MM-670 | Meteodrone MM-670 ML | |
Number of engines | 6 | 6 | 6 |
Take-off weight | ca. 1.1 kg | ca. 4.1 kg | ca. 4.2 kg |
Dimensions | 40 x 40 cm | 70 x 70 cm | 70 x 70 cm |
Max. climb rate | 10 m/s | 10 m/s | 10 m/s |
Max. wind speed | 100 km/h | 80 km/h | 80 km/h |
Max. flight altitude* | 1'500 m | 6'000 m ASL | 6'000 m ASL |
Max. flight duration | ca. 12 min | ca. 30 min | ca. 30 min |
Waterproof | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
Navigation lights | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Position lights | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Rescue system | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
Ground station | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
VLOS* | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
EVLOS* | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
BVLOS* | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
Measured parameters: | |||
- Sample rate | 250 ms | 250 ms | 250 ms |
- Temperature | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
- Wind speed | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
- Wind direction | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
- Dew point | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
- Air pressure | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Optional parameters: | |||
- Particular matter/ black carbon | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
- Ozone | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
- Radioactivity | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
Available formats: | |||
- WMO TEMP (FM35) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
- WMO TEMP MOBILE (FM38) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
- PILOT (FM32) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
- WMO PILOT MOBILE (FM34) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
- WMO BUFR | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
- CSV | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Postprocessing of measured data
Temporal profiles of selected weather parameters lead to a deeper understanding of atmospheric processes.

Dew point

Relative Humidity

Potential Temperature

Mixing Ratio

Pressure
