WindBorne Systems, a Silicon Valley startup specializing in autonomous weather balloons and AI-driven forecasting, has secured a substantial contract with the U.S. Air Force potentially worth up to $49 million. The agreement involves providing atmospheric data collected by WindBorne’s fleet of approximately 700 weather balloons deployed globally. This contract marks the largest engagement for the company, which has previously collaborated with U.S. government agencies including the National Weather Service and the U.S. Navy.

The Air Force’s contract is structured to allow flexible, on-demand data purchases by region and timing, with initial orders totaling $1.7 million and expectations for further acquisitions. According to WindBorne CTO Andrey Sushko, this deal supports the expansion of their balloon constellation along with ongoing research and hardware enhancements. Notably, the contract was awarded without competitive bidding, reflecting the government’s recognition of WindBorne’s unique capability in meeting their operational data needs.

Founded in 2015 and headquartered in Redwood City, California, WindBorne uses its collected data to power its own AI weather model, WeatherMesh 6, which it claims surpasses traditional forecasting systems like the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) in accuracy. The company raised $37 million in a Series B round earlier this year to fuel growth and model development. Its technology leverages deep learning and operational use of large-scale, real-time empirical environmental data, an emerging trend in meteorology.

WindBorne recently demonstrated innovative balloon navigation techniques by steering unpowered balloons using altitude adjustments to enter the eye of a typhoon—an accomplishment that highlights the practical application of AI in real-world weather monitoring. This capability relies on advanced weather models and a sufficiently large balloon constellation to position data collection assets effectively. The partnership with the U.S. Air Force underscores the increasing value of AI-enhanced atmospheric data in military and broader weather forecasting endeavors.