Tackling waste from weather balloons

These weather sensors are inspired by maple seeds and designed to be reused

Spotted: Every day, around 1,800 weather balloons are launched by weather stations around the world. These devices gather crucial data using small devices called radiosondes, which measure air pressure, temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction, and more, transmitting this data back to ground stations. However, on reaching high altitudes, the balloons burst, scattering tonnes of plastic and e-waste indiscriminately each year.

This wasted material is also expensive and it’s estimated that $190 million is spent on radiosondes each year. To deliver more sustainable weather forecasting, engineers Shane Kyi Hla Win and Danial Sufiyan Bin Shaiful, from the Singapore University of Technology and Design, have developed a reusable radiosonde. Called airXeed Radiosonde, the device was inspired by the asymmetrical shape of the maple seed, which spins like a helicopter as it falls.

Like a maple seed, the radiosonde was also designed to spiral during descent, slowing the device’s fall and preventing damage so that it can be reused. The airXeed has a controllable flap for precise steering and can switch to ‘dive’ mode to avoid collisions with manned aircraft. An onboard controller guides the device to landings at designated collection points, enabling retrieval.

The controlled descent also allows the airXeed to collect more atmospheric data. The wing and cowling of the airXeed is made from balsa wood and foam, and the components feature a modular design to allow for easy replacement and recycling of worn parts.

The airXeed recently won the 2024 James Dyson Award for Global Sustainability, which comes with an award of £30,000 to support the next stage of airXeed’s development. Hla Win told Springwise that the Award “will open doors for us by giving our project the visibility and credibility it needs to take the next big step. With this recognition, we hope to connect with key players in the weather industry, secure partnerships, and attract funding to further develop and test our design.”

In the future, the device’s designers hope to collaborate with weather stations to conduct high-altitude testing and further refine and optimise their invention for the harsh conditions in the atmosphere.

Written By: Lisa Magloff