India achieved a major technological milestone by developing indigenously made 3D-printed Automatic Weather Stations (AWS) to strengthen last-mile weather observations, especially in densely populated urban areas.
The first set of these next-generation AWS will be installed in Delhi from February 2026, marking a new phase in city-level weather monitoring and forecasting.
Dense, real-time weather data is critical for accurate short-term forecasts, heatwave alerts, intense rainfall warnings, and urban flood prediction.
Key Highlights
- Technology: Fully indigenous 3D-printed Automatic Weather Stations
- First deployment: Delhi (from February 2026)
- Focus area: Urban meteorology and last-mile observations
- Power source: Solar-powered systems
- Programme: Implemented under Mission Mausam
- Objective: Improve accuracy of short-term forecasts and extreme weather warnings
Role of Indian Scientific Institutions
The project has been developed by scientists led by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, which functions under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES).
About IITM
- Established: 1962
- Mandate: Research on monsoon dynamics, climate variability, atmospheric science, and weather modelling
- Role: Core scientific institution supporting India’s weather and climate forecasting capabilities
Features of New 3D-Printed AWS
The newly developed AWS are fully manufactured in India using 3D-printing (additive manufacturing), enabling rapid production and local customisation.
Key Capabilities
- Automatically records:
- Temperature
- Humidity
- Wind speed
- Wind direction
- Rainfall
- Real-time data transmission (no manual observation required)
- Solar-powered, reducing operational and maintenance costs
- Compact, scalable, and suitable for urban and remote deployments
Mission Mausam: The Umbrella Programme
The initiative is part of Mission Mausam, a national weather modernisation programme with a total outlay of ₹2,000 crore.
Objectives of Mission Mausam
- Upgrade India’s weather observation infrastructure
- Improve forecasting accuracy and climate services
- Strengthen urban meteorology, a critical need due to climate change
Priority Cities
- Delhi
- Mumbai
- Chennai
- Kolkata
These cities face rising risks from heatwaves, cloudbursts, extreme rainfall, and urban flooding.
Why 3D Printing Matters in Meteorology
3D printing (additive manufacturing) allows layer-by-layer creation of complex components directly from digital models.
Advantages
- Faster production cycles
- Lower manufacturing costs
- High precision in sensor housing and components
- Reduced dependence on imported weather instruments
- Supports Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat
This technology enables rapid scaling of observation networks and helps bridge data gaps in both urban and remote regions.
Accuracy and Validation Measures
Ensuring data reliability is a top priority.
- New AWS will be co-located with manual observatories during the initial phase
- Parallel observations will allow cross-verification of readings
- Regular calibration and maintenance protocols are built into the framework
- This approach addresses past issues related to sensor damage and calibration errors
Understanding Automatic Weather Stations
An Automatic Weather Station (AWS) is a system that collects meteorological data using electronic sensors without human intervention.
Why AWS are important
- Enable high-frequency data collection
- Feed numerical weather prediction models
- Strengthen disaster preparedness and early warning systems
India’s national meteorological service, the India Meteorological Department (IMD), established in 1875, operates one of the largest weather observation networks in the world.
Expected Impact
- More accurate local-level weather forecasts
- Improved heatwave, rainfall and flood warnings for cities
- Lower costs and faster expansion of observation networks
- Strong boost to indigenous scientific instrumentation