Meandair Brings Global Weather Insights to SmartSky® Predictive Weather Suite

Adds In-depth View of Atmospheric Conditions, Including Clear Air Turbulence, Worldwide

RESEARCH TRIANGLE, N.C., Sept. 7, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- SmartSky, the innovative air-to-ground inflight connectivity provider and Meandair, the global aviation predictive weather provider, today announced an agreement to bring Meandair's weather nowcasting to the SmartSky Predictive Weather Data Suite delivered via Skytelligence®, SmartSky's aviation data exchange. The predictive weather data suite is made possible through SmartSky's next generation ATG network, advanced hardware and enhanced services, which include Skytelligence. For the first time, U.S. airline dispatch, FBOs, airports, and ground operations will have access to Meandair's predictive weather capabilities via SmartSky's predictive weather offerings.

Accurate situational awareness about current and near-term weather conditions is of vital importance to support timely decision-making and to ensure safe and efficient operations in aviation. Utilizing the power of its Meandair Weather Nowcasting Weather Engine, Meandair provides accurate, localized weather forecasts for the coming minutes and hours which are delivered near real-time with an unprecedented below-7-minutes latency.  

At the core, Meandair Nowcasting Weather Engine technology assimilates numerical weather prediction forecasts with near real-time observations from a multitude of weather sensors including satellites, a network of ground stations, radar, as well as data streams from flying aircraft, into a comprehensive snapshot of the atmospheric column. Subsequently, relying on the company's deep expertise in meteorology, AI and algorithms, the Engine extrapolates the evolution of the weather for the coming minutes and hours over not only mainlands, but also over remote regions and oceans. The company delivers the finalized 4D datasets, spot forecasts and graphically rendered end-user products every 15 minutes. Meandair's Nowcasting Weather Engine delivers 24/7 an ever-growing repertoire of data products including cloud structure at altitudes, synthetic precipitation radar, active thunderstorms detection, turbulence predictions, as well as AW-METAR/AW-TAF reports providing flight conditions at all small and large airports and heliports.

"Along with our other predictive weather products our nowcasts for turbulence data predict turbulence along the flight path including Clear Air Turbulence (CAT). Our Turbulens 4D algorithm provides a flight experience that can alleviate safety concerns and potentially costly turbulence-related damage repairs," said Peter Novák, Managing Director for Meandair. "SmartSky is uniquely equipped to make this vital information available to U.S. aviation and deliver it in real-time to flight crews when they need it most -- inflight."

The Skytelligence data exchange is a key element of SmartSky's Digital Solutions offerings which are powered by its patented innovations and tools. Skytelligence brings together data from numerous providers for single point delivery via APIs, which are then used by EFBs or ground-based systems. These combined capabilities make SmartSky a key enabler for aviation's digital transformation. SmartSky's Predictive Weather suite brings together multiple predictive weather providers to supply aviation with enhanced situational awareness not available from other sources. The SmartSky ATG network provides the very low latency, high-capacity data flow, to and from the plane, that is necessary to enable the connected aircraft.

"Meandair provides invaluable flight condition awareness for aviation. SmartSky's next-generation network enables the cockpit to have real-time access to predictive weather and adjust their flight path, potentially avoiding turbulence and the required AOG time following a turbulence event," said Sean Reilly, Vice President of Digital Solutions and Air Transport for SmartSky. "Adding Meandair's global capabilities also allows us to provide extended predictive services to our predictive weather customers as they prepare to leave CONUS and cross into international destinations. This can mean increased safety and sustainability with reduced costs."

About SmartSky

SmartSky Networks was founded to transform aviation through disruptive communications technologies, services, and tools. The ATG network takes advantage of patented spectrum reuse, advanced beamforming technologies and 60 MHz of spectrum for significantly enhanced connectivity. SmartSky Networks uniquely enables an "office in the sky" experience with unmatched capacity for data transmissions both to and from the aircraft. This real-time, very low latency, bidirectional data link makes SmartSky Networks the best in-flight user experience, and a key enabler for new and enhanced applications and services. For more information, visit SmartSkyNetworks.com 

SmartSky Networks. Data moves us.

About Meandair

Meandair builds on deep experience and research results in computer science, AI algorithmics and robotics including 4 accomplished scientists with advanced PhD degrees. Set in Delft, The Netherlands with offices in Prague Meandair is a participant in the ESA Business Incubation Centre Noordwijk.

Media Contact  
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Phone: (202) 289-4001  
Email: [email protected]  
Website: www.smartskynetworks.com  

SOURCE SmartSky Networks