Metro Weather

Metro Weather is a Kyoto-based startup, spun out from Kyoto University in 2015, that specializes in providing high-precision wind data for the advanced air mobility (AAM) and urban air mobility (UAM) sectors. The company was co-founded by Jun-ichi Furumoto, who serves as President and Representative Director, and Kuniaki Higashi, who is the Director and Vice President. Furumoto, holding a doctorate in informatics, leveraged his research in measurement and control to develop new radar observation technology. Higashi, a certified meteorologist with a Ph.D. in science, brought experience in atmospheric radar development and environmental assessment from a private weather company. Their collaboration originated from research at Kyoto University, building on over 30 years of radar development to address social issues through technological application.

Metro Weather’s business model is centered on the development, manufacturing, and sale of atmospheric observation equipment and proprietary software to provide hyperlocal, real-time wind data. The company targets clients in aviation, drone operations, wind power, and urban disaster prevention. Its core products are the "Wind Guardian," a compact and high-performance Doppler lidar, and "Wind Foresight," a multi-scale wind forecast system. The Wind Guardian uses infrared laser beams to measure 3D wind direction and speed by observing atmospheric particles up to 15 kilometers away, offering high resolution and portability. This technology is significantly smaller and more affordable than traditional Doppler lidars, enabling wider deployment. The Wind Foresight system uses data from the Wind Guardian network to run high-resolution weather simulations, delivering real-time wind forecasts from minutes to days in advance.

The company serves a diverse client base that requires precise wind information for safe and efficient operations. For the AAM/UAM market, it provides essential data for drone traffic controllers and operators to navigate turbulent urban airspaces. In the wind power sector, the technology offers a more cost-effective and comprehensive method for assessing wind conditions for offshore farm planning compared to traditional single-point measurements. Metro Weather is also expanding into disaster prevention by monitoring wind patterns to predict localized heavy rainfall and sudden gusts. The company is developing object detection capabilities for its Doppler LiDAR, aiming to build a dual-use supply chain for both civilian and defense applications. Metro Weather has established strategic alliances, including a collaboration with NASA on an urban weather sensing infrastructure project and a partnership with Tokyo Keiki to mass-produce its Doppler LiDAR.

Keywords: Doppler lidar, wind condition data, urban air mobility, advanced air mobility, Wind Guardian, Wind Foresight, remote sensing, signal processing, weather forecasting, drone safety, aviation weather, offshore wind energy, disaster prevention, atmospheric observation, real-time wind visualization, Kyoto University startup, Jun-ichi Furumoto, Kuniaki Higashi, hyperlocal weather, 3D wind measurement