Rainmaker bets on autonomous drones and geographic hedging against weather volatility

Rainmaker says it is making a major strategic bet on autonomy, continuing to use its drones while making them increasingly autonomous. The company expects autonomy to enable more flights and cost-effective atmospheric observations, while lowering the cost per volume of water or snow delivered; it may also conduct research with planes in the not-too-distant future.

The business is seasonal and annually cyclical because of El Niño and La Niña. Rainmaker says it is geographically hedged across the United States and other countries, allowing it to shift work between regions with different snowfall and climate conditions, including areas facing depleted reservoirs.