MyRadar is a free weather forecasting application developed by Andy Green and his Orlando, Florida-based company ACME AtronOmatic (ACME). The app began operations in 2008 and ran on government-provided weather and radar data for its first decade. In 2019, ACME launched personal satellites to improve predictions of ongoing weather. The app received funding to improve its radar and imaging from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the Office of Naval Research (ONR). ACME created a weather data satellite constellation named "Hyperspectral Orbital Remote Imaging Spectrometer" (HORIS), which utilizes machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) to create a current weather map. With the introduction of additional features, including the detection of wildfires and illegal fishing, the app has more broadly become an environmental intelligence app since 2022. In 2024, the app partnered with the Total Traffic and Weather Network (TTWN) to provide traffic flow and incident data for users with paying subscriptions via CarPlay and Android Auto.
History
A close-up of a PocketQube satellite, which was launched by MyRadar[dubious – discuss] and entered the atmosphere on May 2, 2022
The app's creator, Andy Green, had created internet tech since the 1980s.[2] His first major project was the development of a public access internet service company based in Rhode Island, which he later sold to finance the creation of ACME AtronOmatic ("ACME" for short), based in Orlando, Florida.[2] The first major app created by ACME was called "Flightwise", which provided users with flight tracking information.[2] In the summer of 2008, Green had the idea to use the animated location tracker already built-in to Flightwise to make a stand-alone weather forecasting app after wondering if a meal he was eating outdoors would get rained out.[2] MyRadar was launched in 2012 out of an office in Orlando.[3] Despite running solely off of free government-provided weather and radar data for the first decade after launch, Green said the app "took off like wildfire" in downloads.[2] In December 2017, the app partnered with "TripIt" to provide users with information about flight delays and gate changes, eliminating the need for a separate app like Flightwise.[4]
In 2019, ACME launched their first personal satellite for the app, a small prototype from New Zealand, as part of an effort to provide detailed imagery and improved predictions of ongoing weather unique to the app.[2] More satellites were eventually launched by ACME to create a weather data satellite constellation named "Hyperspectral Orbital Remote Imaging Spectrometer" (HORIS), monitored by ground stations maintained by Kongsberg Satellite Services.[5] HORIS operates MyRadar by taking the environmental data and imagery it collects and pairing it with machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) to create a real-time weather map.[5] In 2022, HORIS was expanded upon after ACME won approval from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to improve their satellite constellation to including 250 satellites or more.[5]
A screenshot of MyRadar
The main batch of satellites were PocketQubes, which entered the atmosphere on May 2, 2022, by Rocket Lab Electron launched also from New Zealand, with the additional purpose to test and validate the existing satellites in orbit.[5] In October 2022, ACME received a US$150,000research grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to improve the app's wildfire detection and air quality measurement technology to better detect smoke, aerosols, fire hotspots using satellites and aerial drones.[6] On August 18, 2023, phase two of the NOAA grant was approved, providing an additional US$650,000 to aid in the app's aforementioned goals by launching a pair of CubeSat satellites to provide high-definition infrared imagery.[7] On September 8, 2023, ACME secured another US$1,200,000 in crowd funding to aid accomplishing the goals of the NOAA grant by expanding the app's workforce from 35 to 100 employees by the end of 2024.[8]
In January 2024, MyRadar partnered with Total Traffic and Weather Network (TTWN) to provide traffic data overlayed with its pre-existing weather graphics for users in the United States.[9] The partnership allowed for the app to additionally become a tool for navigation. This officially became a feature days later on January 8, 2024, when the app was made compatible with Apple's CarPlay.[10] On February 7, 2024, the Android equivalent Android Auto also gained the ability to display the app on car interfaces.[11][12] In March 2024, the app launched a "meteorological wedding planning service" in the United States and Canada for prices between US$1,000 and US$5,000, in which users can request a personal meteorologist to provide an in-person meeting about the best dates for a wedding, and on-call local weather updates the day of.[13] Scheduled for February 2025, four more satellites to help with the NOAA-sponsored wildfire detection are to be launched, and the first by ACME to have AI processing in the satellites themself and not computers on the ground, allowing for quicker transfer of information.[14]
Features and general information
The app's primary function is to provide weather forecasting and prediction to users.[2] The app includes toggleable options to track and send alerts to users for rain, wind patterns, earthquakes, tornadoes, tropical cyclones, wildfires, and more.[2] In early 2020, a feature was added to track orbital objects such as the International Space Station.[2] In May 2022, with the imagery improvement of HORIS, the app gained the secondary abilities to better monitor algae blooms, coral reefs, illegal fishing, and wildfires.[5] In January and February 2024, the ability to display traffic flow and incident data in a feature called "RouteCast" was added, and can be displayed in video and 3D options via CarPlay and Android Auto for users with paying subscriptions.[9][11] The app also provides annual tropical storm and tornado outlooks for their respective seasons, gathered through satellite and aerial drone data,[6] as well as through on the ground storm chasers.[15]
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