WindBorne’s weather balloon fleet secures a potential $49 million Air Force contract
The military has ordered $1. 7 million in data so far
WindBorne operates about 700 balloons collecting atmospheric measurements worldwide
WindBorne Systems has secured a potential $49 million US Air Force agreement, allowing the military to purchase atmospheric measurements gathered by autonomous balloons worldwide. The California startup operates about 700 balloons, supplying readings to paying customers that use the data to develop AI systems capable of forecasting weather conditions. Unlike conventional aircraft, WindBorne’s balloons change altitude to encounter winds carrying them toward particular locations, adjusting buoyancy through air release and sand ballast. Military spending supports WindBorne’s expanding balloon network
The company uses atmospheric models to guide these movements, combining predictive software with an extensive fleet to place balloons where useful measurements can be collected. Back in August 2026, WindBorne became the first company to guide an unpowered flight system into the typhoon’s eye, collecting data from the typhoon. “That’s a pretty novel step, and the two ingredients for that are one, having good wind and weather models, and knowing how to navigate them; and two, having a large enough constellation that you have balloons in the right places,” said Andrey Sushko, co-founder and CTO of WindBorne Systems. “It’s one of the first times that a deep-learning model was used for actual operational decisions.” The military agreement allows the Air Force to request measurements for particular locations and periods instead of purchasing a fixed quantity of information upfront…