Tengden TB (drones)

2024: Using UAVs to create clouds in drought-stricken regions

In early August 2024, it became known that China began using UAVs to create clouds in drought-stricken regions. The long-range strike and reconnaissance drone TB-A, also called Twin-tailed Scorpion A, was used to test cloud seeding in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

The process of causing rain through artificial cloud seeding involves the use of chemicals such as silver iodide, potassium iodide, or dry ice, which serve as nuclei to form water droplets. China has been using this technology for many years and, among other things, used it to control the weather during the Olympic Games in 2008. However, this approach is being used for the first time in the western region of the country for drought patients.

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Wikipedia

The tests, which began on August 4, will last 45 days. At this stage, researchers are focusing on the Dongtian Mountain District to test the possibility and effectiveness of cloud seeding activities in the highlands. The region has been hit hard by climate change and droughts are now common there, with temperatures continuing to rise. Dongtan is an agricultural region known for producing various varieties of sweet melon, however, water scarcity affects production.

It is known that the TB-A drone can carry a payload of 24 silver iodide rods and 200 smoke grenades, which are used to seed clouds. In addition, it was also equipped with equipment to detect cloud particles and control wind. The TB-A, developed by civilian company Sichuan Tengden, is known to be a version of the TB-001 reconnaissance drone previously used by China to assess the border territories of Japan and Taiwan.^[1]

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