About us
Founded in 1992, Meteomodem is a French company specialized the field of the Upper-air observation, and more specifically in the domain of radiosounding. Today, it is one of the top leading radiosonde manufacturer and a major player in this specific business, Meteomodem customers include a large list of NMS’s (National Meteorological Services) worldwide including Meteo France among many others, but also international Research Institutes, Universities and Laboratories for Research or Air Traffic Management authorities (Like the ASECNA in Africa) or again Military and Army corps. Currently more than 120 Meteomodem systems (upper air stations) are operated in more than 60 countries throughout the world and are using Meteomodem radiosondes on a daily basis (Once or twice a day depending on their means). As a world reference in this niche market of radiosounding, Meteomodem never stop developing, diversifying its activities and skills to other of domains in meteorology and climatology. Foundation of Meteomodem by two engineers specialized in Research and Development, Georges Ricaud and Patrick Charpentier. Initially, Meteomodem was developing telecommunication instruments applied to maritime communications and distributed by Géolink. Meteomodem used to develop instruments that included radio links, GPS position and Inmarsat communication. Further to a tender awarded by the ESA (the European Space Agency) Meteomodem made its first step in the field of radiosounding. The purpose of the study was to calculate the impact of wind gusts on the space agency site of Kourou (CNES) and the opportunity to develop a brand new concept of wind measurement using GPS. Development of a new balloon, named Meduse and a first radiosonde called GPS400PSK used during the campaigns VERHT1 and VERHT2. Meteomodem develops and deepens its GPS based method to measure the balloon moves, at this time only the loran C, the omega or a following radar was used.
The excellent results of the systems motivated the choice of Meteomodem to develop a complete radiosounding system measuring wind + PTU adapted to the meteorological domain and market, the GL98 radiosonde was borne. Meteomodem also became the pioneer in the use of GPS to calculate pressure; This breakthrough enabled Meteomodem to launch the first radiosonde without built in barometer.
Meteomodem became known as Meteomodem, outlining its strategy to focus on the radiosounding activity, its main market and filed of Research since then. In the 2000s’, Meteomodem developed rapidly and broke into many markets both nationally and internationally, being awarded tender after tender the whole Météo France’s Upper Air Observation stations network. Participation in the WMO-CIMO High Quality Radiosonde Intercomparison in Brazil. Development of the SR2K2 radiosounding system and its associated M2K2 radiosonde. : Participation in the Mauritius WMO-CIMO High Quality Radiosonde Intercomparison. Following the result report publication, the measurement of pressure using derivation from GPS is eventually recognized and recommended by the WMO. Today, all the radiosondes manufacturers use this method that actually participated directly and significantly in the international price decrease and fostered radiosounding especially in developing countries by turning it more affordable. Participation in the WMO-CIMO High Quality Radiosonde Intercomparison in China with the M2K2DC sonde. Development of a New Radiosonde further to this international event, the last generation of the M2K2 series were under development. The first Robotsonde Prototype: A balloon train (Balloon+Radiosonde+Parachute) automatic launcher using the brand new M10 GPSonde. Meteomodem get involved and committed in the GRUAN certification process (Global Reference Upper Air Network), in 2012, in cooperation with the ISPL and Météo France (Reunion and Trappe’s station) Meteomodem achieved is first battery of tests at the Lindenberg Lead Centers in Germany and Payerne in Switzerland. In June 2014, the M10 sonde was qualified to participate in a test campaign in Payerne (MeteoSwiss). The GRUAN certification is still in progress on and should be achieved in the coming months.
Meteomodem cultivates its difference by its particular business model, promoting innovation and cooperation with our customers and partners, while ensuring flexibility and proximity from the technical, operational and commercial aspect. All of our products are “Made in France”. Meteomodem is an exporting company; indeed, a significant part of our turnover is made worldwide. Meteomodem is an active protagonist of the French know-how exportation worldwide. Moreover, it is a dynamic member of Prometeo, a French association gathering the top leading French manufacturers and that aiming at promoting our vision of Meteorology.
Meteomodem is deeply implicated in various radiosounding work groups, of course the WMO/CIMO Expert teams OPAG’s Upper at the WMO (World Meteorology Organization). It also participates of the European meteorology agency (EMS) or again the HMEI association, who regroups a large number of Meteorological Company around the world.
Story of Meteomodem:
Meteomodem in 2020
• One of the Top Leading Radiosonde Manufacturer with a 16% of market share
• More than 160 international customers, our systems are installed over the 5 continents and the 2 poles (south and north)
• Turnover of more than 4 million €
• Annual production and sales of more than 40 000 sondes
• More than 23 Robotsondes deployed worldwide, and adapted to all the climates and environmental conditions, from the freezing cold of the North pole, stifling heat of the Moroccan desert or again the tropical regions of South America and the Caribbean
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