WindBorne Wins Air Force Balloon Data Contract Worth Up to $49 Million

Oct 12, 2026
The United States Air Force will buy atmospheric data from WindBorne Systems under a contract worth up to $49 million. The agency has placed $1.7 million in initial orders.

WindBorne Systems secured a contract to sell atmospheric data to the United States Air Force, with a potential value of nearly $49 million, according to TechCrunch. The Air Force has placed $1.7 million in initial orders.

The Air Force will pay only for the data it requests and can order coverage for specific regions and periods. The contract was awarded without competitive bidding and is the largest contract in which WindBorne has participated.

WindBorne operates about 700 autonomous weather balloons worldwide. Their sensor readings are sold to customers and used by the company’s WeatherMesh AI forecasting model.

The contract can also support expansion of the balloon fleet and research to improve its hardware and performance. WindBorne controls the balloons by changing their altitude, releasing air, or dropping ballast to enter winds traveling toward selected locations.

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