Cloud seeding is a form of weather manipulation to encourage cloud formation and increase rainfall in a given area. Although cloud seeding has been experimented with in one form or another for decades, a recent example of weather manipulation in Dubai has made news. Videos have been released by the Emirate's national meteorological center purporting to show rain made by drones. Although drones making rain sounds far fetched, millions of dollars have been poured into research to advance the technology to a state where it's possible.   

Why the need for weather manipulation to create rain? The UAE is one of the driest countries on earth and for years has been struggling with declining groundwater tables. That, coupled with vicious heat in excess of 120 degrees Fahrenheit, has led to a worsening water crunch. In these conditions, even when it does rain the water may evaporate before ever reaching the ground and replenishing the groundwater. These cloud seeding technologies enable the formation of more massive water droplets which can survive the descent.   

Although cloud seeding has now proven to be a feasible technology, there is still debate about the efficacy of the practice and whether it actually resolves the situation. Some even believe that cloud seeding and other weather manipulation in one region may negatively affect other regions which are similarly dependent on rain patterns. This opens the possibility that these practices may lead to worsening political situations and conflict, as some have even speculated that low water conditions have already led to or worsened conflicts in the middle east.