Dubai drone cloud seeding

A programme operated by the Dubai government to generate rain by seeding clouds has raised concerns about dangerous flooding and its possible impact on public health, and the geo-political ramifications of 'rain stealing' and other potential weaponisations of the technology.

First reported by the Washington Post, the state's National Center of Meteorology (NCM) conducted 126 cloud seeding operations since 2021 using drones developed by the University of Reading working in conjunction with the University of Bath. Catapults launch the drones which zap clouds with an electric charge, charging the droplets inside. 

Regular heatwaves and the lack of freshwater meant the programme largely received a positive response by Dubai citizens. But scientists expressed concerns that chemicals used to generated rain are classified as 'possible carcinogens' to humans by the World Health Organisation’s International Agency for Research on Cancer.