Lockheed Martin Backs Weather Forecasting Tech Company

Lockheed Martin is investing in Meteomatics, a weather intelligence company, to support the roll out of its climate monitoring technology as businesses face increased risk of weather-related hazards. 

Meteomatics said it will use the investment to scale its technology and expand into new markets including energy, aviation, insurance, defense and governments, in pursuit of its mission to “revolutionize weather forecasting.” 

Meteomatics uses weather drones to provide micro-level weather monitoring, providing hourly updates on street-level data and allowing companies to identify phenomena such as thunder, wind and hail. 

These Meteodrones can fly as high as 20,000 feet. Data collected, combined with 110 other sources, delivers what Meteomatics said is “unparalleled accuracy” for hyperlocal weather. 

Meteomatics says it’s the only company that runs a weather model with a resolution down to street level.

This is compared to current government and commercial weather observation technology, which run at resolutions of 6-31 miles and updated only three to four times a day, which Meteomatics says is insufficient to identify weather events in the low-level airspace.

The tech comes as businesses across industries face increased pressure from weather-related hazards, causing operational delays and even closures. 

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“We’re expecting a higher number of extreme weather events this year and that number will only climb over the next few years,” said Martin Fengler, Meteomatics’ CEO. “It’s critical that businesses have access to the most accurate weather forecasts so they can properly plan and make informed decisions about weather impacts.”

“Lockheed Martin Ventures identifies companies with transformative technologies that serve the evolving needs of our customers and missions,” said Chris Moran, Lockheed Martin Ventures’ vice president. “Meteomatics’ weather intelligence has the potential to give the U.S. and its allies a better understanding of the dynamic environments in which assets and personnel operate, both improving operational effectiveness and reducing risk.”

Meteomatics launched operations in the U.S. in 2023 with the country’s first Meteodrone at GrandSky Aviation Park’s Weather Operations Center in North Dakota.