---
title: "The UAE Is Using Drones to Manipulate Weather"
description: "The UAE is testing a system that uses drones to electrocute clouds and trigger rainfall in hopes of replenishing dwindling water supplies."
date: "2021-03-18"
modified: "2021-03-18"
authors:
  - name: "Dan Robitzski"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/danrobitzski.md"
url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/uae-using-drones-electrocute-clouds-manipulate-weather"
categories:
  - "Drones"
  - "Robotics"
  - "Robots and Machines"
tags:
  - "drones"
  - "the digest"
  - "weather modification"
---

# The UAE Is Using Drones to Manipulate Weather

![The UAE is testing a system that uses drones to electrocute clouds and trigger rainfall in hopes of replenishing dwindling water supplies.](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/cloudbusting.jpg>)
*\<em\>Image: Chuttersnap via Unsplash/Futurism\</em\>*

## Rain Drop

The United Arab Emirates is about to test an unusual, high-tech way of triggering more rainfall: flying drones into clouds and zapping them with electricity to trigger showers.

Scientists from England's University of Reading helped develop a series of drones that can fly up into existing clouds and alter water droplets' electrical charge so they clump together "like dry hair to a comb," Reading scientist Maarten Ambaum [told *the* *BBC*](<https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-56428984>). If it works, it could help replenish the faltering water supply around large cities like Dubai — and usher in a new era of human control over weather.

## Closed Loop

Because the UAE already [uses cloud seeding technology](<https://futurism.com/states-using-weather-modification-technology.md>) to induce condensation and create clouds in the first place, the zapping drones would give the country even greater control over the water cycle.

"Equipped with a payload of electric-charge emission instruments and customized sensors, these drones will fly at low altitudes and deliver an electric charge to air molecules, which should encourage precipitation," UAE rain-enhancement science-research program director Alya Al-Mazroui [told *Arab News*](<https://www.arabnews.com/node/1826651/middle-east>).

## Fill 'Er Up

Weather modification systems aren't without their controversy. Cloud seeding has been around for decades, but potential misuse of the technology has experts concerned about geopolitical ramifications, [especially in China](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/china-rolling-out-enormous-weather-modification-system.md>).

In this case, however, the weather-controlling tech has a clear use case of helping to provide water to large desert cities that risk depleting the water that's naturally available.

"The water table is sinking drastically in \[the\] UAE and the purpose of this is to try to help with rainfall," Ambaum told the *BBC*.

**READ MORE:** [UAE to test cloud-busting drones to boost rainfall](<https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-56428984>) \[*BBC News*\]

**More on weather manipulation:** *[A Bunch of US States Are Now Using Weather Modification Technology](<https://futurism.com/states-using-weather-modification-technology.md>)*

## Author
Dan Robitzki is a senior reporter for Futurism, where he likes to cover AI, tech ethics, and medicine. He spends his extra time fencing and streaming games from Los Angeles, California.

### Author social links  
[Twitter](<https://x.com/danrobitzski>)

## More

- [UAE Says Rainstorms Were Caused by Its Cloud Seeding Drones](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/uae-rainstorms-cloud-seeding-drones.md>)
- [Government Denies Dubai Flooding Was Due to Cloud-Seeding Experiments](<https://futurism.com/uae-flooding-cloud-seeding.md>)
- [To Improve Rainfall, UAE to Build its Own Mountain](<https://futurism.com/improve-rainfall-uae-looking-build-mountain.md>)
- [Scientists Propose Electrocuting Clouds to Make it Rain](<https://futurism.com/electrocuting-clouds.md>)
- [Congresswoman Who Believed in “Jewish Space Lasers” Complains That Government Can’t Just Use Weather Control to Shut Down LA Fires](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/marjorie-taylor-greene-cloud-seeding.md>)
- [Pakistan Attempts to Cut Through Killer Smog With Artificial Rain](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/pakistan-smog-artificial-rain.md>)
- [Microplastics Are Infesting Clouds, Affecting Weather](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/microplastics-clouds-affecting-weather.md>)
- [Commercial Drone Pilots Can Now Get Customized Weather Forecasts](<https://futurism.com/commercial-drone-pilots-can-now-get-customized-weather-forecasts.md>)