Discussion by Aysen Nikolayev and Bagrat Danelian revolves around the work of aircraft-specialists in the region of Yakutia.
In the commencement of the new work week, the head of Yakutia's Central Aerological Observatory's Center for Cloud Physics and Active Actions, Bagrat Danyan, met with local leader Il Darhan. Their discussion focused on the ongoing efforts to create artificial rain as a means to mitigate the risk of forest fires.
Yakutia, the first republic in the country to employ atmospheric intervention for fire prevention for the past three years, will persist with these endeavors due to the method's proven effectiveness.
As a part of a contract with the area's Rescue Service, a Yak-40 "Meteo" aircraft from the Central Aerological Observatory of Roshydromet will collaborate with an An-26 "Atmosphere" aircraft from "Polar Airlines." The Yak-40 is set to operate for over 52 flight hours, while the An-26 will work for 22 hours.
During their encounter, the parties discussed the number of involved aircraft, flight hours, and the employment of drones for artificial rain generation. The republic's leader expressed gratitude for Roshydromet's assistance, particularly Bagrat Danyan's cooperation.
This year, the operational area will expand by approximately one and a half times, with a primary focus on the central, western, and southern uluses, including Mirny, Zarechye, and other territories within the republic.
The head of the Center for Cloud Physics and Active Actions highlighted that the previous years have shown positive results in reducing both the number of fires and the affected areas. They plans to proceed with two primary approaches: aviation using standard medium-range aircraft, and the addition of unmanned aviation.
It is worth noting that the pilot phase of the project involving the Yak-42 laboratory aircraft commenced in 2022 and continued into 2023 and 2024. Last year, the project included 62 working flights and six transfers, with a total flight time exceeding 225 hours, including 204 hours and 43 minutes of active cloud influence work. A total of 6,104 pyropatrons were used during the season.
While the direct evidence of the consistent or large-scale use of Yak-40 and An-26 aircraft along with drones for artificial rain induction in Yakutia may not be abundant in current public sources, the region’s government and scientific community are actively pursuing climate adaptation and mitigation strategies, which may include atmospheric interventions. The use of drones for fire surveillance and prevention is increasing in Russia, including Yakutia, primarily for early detection, mapping, and monitoring, rather than direct atmospheric modification.
- The Center for Cloud Physics and Active Actions in Yakutia, led by Bagrat Danyan, is keen on incorporating environmental science and technology to address climate-change, as they aim to include unmanned aviation in their artificial rain generation efforts.
- In the realm of finance, the ongoing project in Yakutia for artificial rain generation involves a contract with the Rescue Service, which includes collaboration between the Central Aerological Observatory's Yak-40 aircraft and "Polar Airlines' An-26 aircraft.
- As the project moves into its fourth year, the focus will shift towards the central, western, and southern uluses, including Mirny, Zarechye, and other territories within the republic, demonstrating Yakutia's commitment to industry-driven environmental conservation.
- In the broader context of science and technology, Yakutia's ongoing efforts in artificial rain generation, involving aircraft such as the Yak-40 and An-26, can be seen as a step towards innovations in the aerospace industry, contributing to climate-change mitigation strategies around the globe.
