GRAW Radiosondes
GRAW Radiosondes is a Nuremberg-based, family-owned manufacturer of upper-air meteorological instruments — GNSS radiosondes, sounding ground stations, software, and lidar systems — sold to national weather services, defense organizations, and research institutes worldwide.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1938
- HeadquartersNürnberg, Germany
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What GRAW Radiosondes does
GRAW Radiosondes GmbH & Co. KG, headquartered in Nuremberg, Germany, is a family-owned manufacturer of upper-air atmospheric measurement systems, tracing its origins to 1938 in Berlin. Its portfolio spans consumable radiosondes (the DFM-17 GNSS radiosonde and PS-15 pilot sonde), a family of ground stations (GS-E for offices, GS-U and GS-B for harsh/mobile environments, GS-I for rack-mounted deployments, and the multi-channel multiSonde system), a software suite (grawMet for data analysis, grawGo for mobile monitoring, Sounding Center for multi-station management), and a newly introduced lidar product line (lidarCube, lidarCube Mini, skyObserver) co-developed with LicuSpace GmbH. The proprietary stack is unified through a standardized HTTP REST API and centers on multi-GNSS windfinding (GPS/GLONASS/BEIDOU), heated humidity sensing, and a tunable Alexandrite-laser architecture capable of atmospheric profiles up to 100 km altitude.
The company sells directly to national meteorological agencies, research institutes, and defense and space organizations globally, with named customers including the German Weather Service (DWD) and the German Armed Forces. Distribution is supported by the Noris Group's international partner network, and the company holds ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and AEOF certifications that are effectively procurement prerequisites for these buyers. Revenue is generated primarily through hardware sales of radiosondes and ground stations, supplemented by recurring software subscriptions and accessories (antennas, balloon filling devices); pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Recent strategic emphasis has shifted toward the lidar product family and capacity expansion, alongside partnerships with SondeHub (for radiosonde recovery and tracking) and LicuSpace (for lidar co-development).
GRAW Radiosondes firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- GRAW Radiosondes
- Legal name
- Graw Radiosondes GmbH & Co. KG
- Website
- https://graw.de
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1938
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- GRAW Radiosondes is a Nuremberg-based, family-owned manufacturer of upper-air meteorological instruments — GNSS radiosondes, sounding ground stations, software, and lidar systems — sold to national weather services, defense organizations, and research institutes worldwide.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where GRAW Radiosondes is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Nürnberg
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
GRAW Radiosondes business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Radiosonde Hardware Sales: Sale of meteorological radiosondes (DFM-17, PS-15 pilot sondes) for atmospheric measurements. Products are launched with balloons and transmit data via radio to ground stations.
- Sounding System Sales: Sale of ground station equipment (GS-E, GS-U, GS-I, GS-B) for receiving and processing radiosonde data. Includes multiSonde systems for simultaneous multi-channel reception.
- Lidar System Sales: Sale of lidarCube atmospheric measurement systems capable of 3D wind and temperature profiles up to 100km altitude. Includes lidarCube, lidarCube Mini, and skyObserver variants.
- Software Licenses and Subscriptions: Sale of meteorological software including grawMet for data visualization and analysis, grawGo for mobile ground station monitoring, and Sounding Center for multi-station management.
- Accessories: Sale of antenna systems, balloon filling devices, and other accessories for radiosonde operations.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
GRAW Radiosondes product offering
Product offeringCore offering
GRAW Radiosondes manufactures meteorological radiosondes (DFM-17 GNSS radiosonde, PS-15 pilot sonde), ground-based sounding systems (GS-E, GS-U, GS-I, GS-B, multiSonde), atmospheric lidar systems (lidarCube family including lidarCube Mini and skyObserver), and supporting software (grawMet, grawGo, Sounding Center) used to measure pressure, temperature, humidity, and wind in the upper atmosphere. The complete ecosystem is sold to weather services, meteorological agencies, research institutes, and defense organizations for atmospheric profiling and weather forecasting.
Product overview
GRAW Radiosondes offers a comprehensive portfolio of atmospheric measurement products organized into four main categories: radiosondes (DFM-17 and PS-15 pilot sondes), sounding systems (GS-E, GS-U, GS-I, GS-B ground stations, and multiSonde rack system), software (grawMet for data analysis, grawGo for mobile monitoring, and Sounding Center for multi-station management), and lidar systems (lidarCube family). The product ecosystem is unified through shared ground station compatibility, common grawMet software across all radiosondes, and a standardized HTTP REST API for third-party system integration. Accessories include specialized antennas and balloon filling devices. All products serve meteorological balloon ascents for weather forecasting and atmospheric research.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- lidarCube: High-precision lidar measurement device for atmospheric analyses up to 100km altitude, including lidarCube Mini and skyObserver variants
- grawMet
- grawGo
- multiSonde
- SondeHub
Products and services
- DFM-17 Radiosonde High-accuracy GNSS radiosonde performing PTU measurements (temperature, humidity, wind, altitude, pressure derived from GNSS). Features a continuously heated humidity sensor, multi-GNSS technology (GPS, GLONASS, BEIDOU), and optional barometric pressure sensor and XDATA interface. Designed for weather services and research institutes.
- PS-15 Pilot Sonde Lightweight GNSS pilot sonde for windfinding applications. Uses Multi-GNSS technology (GPS, GLONASS, BEIDOU) on the L1 band for wind detection and altitude measurement, with optional barometric pressure sensor and XDATA interface.
- GS-E Groundstation Universal sounding system in a robust metal housing designed for office environments. Completely maintenance-free (no air filter) with a built-in GNSS receiver and re-radiator for optimized launch preparation.
- GS-U Groundstation Compact, lightweight, and mobile sounding system with an integrated battery. IP65 rated for harsh environments, with standard range up to 100 km and a long-range variant up to 350 km.
- GS-I Groundstation 19-inch rack sounding system designed for client-server architecture with redundant Ethernet connections for highly reliable network integration. Can be installed kilometers away from the launch site.
- GS-B Groundstation Mobile, splash-proof sounding system with integrated notebook and battery. IP65 rated for harsh environments with MIL-STD-810 compliance, providing an all-in-one solution for ascents in any location.
- multiSonde System 19-inch rack system containing multiple GS-I sounding systems for simultaneous reception of several radiosondes. Scalable from 2 to 16+ channels with redundant Ethernet connections for highly reliable network integration.
- lidarCube First commercial lidar system for high-precision 3D wind and temperature profiles up to 100 km altitude. Compact and robust design (1.3 m³, < 300 kg) featuring a tunable Alexandrite laser for Mie and Rayleigh scattering plus resonance fluorescence detection.
- lidarCube Mini Compact version of the lidarCube system for wind measurements up to 3 km altitude. Part of the lidarCube product family.
- skyObserver High-resolution observation system for atmospheric processes. Part of the lidarCube product family for atmospheric measurement.
Quantifiable outcome
- lidarCube can measure atmospheric profiles up to 100km altitude with unique accuracy
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use GRAW Radiosondes
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
GRAW Radiosondes technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature5 records
GRAW Radiosondes partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- LicuSpace GmbHcoreCooperation with LicuSpace GmbH, an innovative German company, for the development and production of highly innovative lidar products for atmospheric measurement. This partnership enabled the lidarCube product line.
- SondeHubcoreGraw Radiosondes is a major supporter of SondeHub, the world's most popular radiosonde tracking network. SondeHub helps with the recovery of disused radiosondes and reduces environmental impact of radiosoundings. It also enables researchers to predict radiosonde trajectories and recover scientific payloads.
- Noris Group GmbHcoreGraw Radiosondes is a member of the Noris Group. The parent company provides global partner network access, shared services, and corporate infrastructure.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves11 records
Expansion highlights6 records
GRAW Radiosondes competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Sutron Corporation: Sutron provides hydrological and meteorological monitoring systems, including weather stations and environmental sensors. It is a broader incumbent in meteorological measurement systems with overlapping customer segments (government agencies, research) to Graw's weather services and research institute clients.
Direct peers
- Campbell Scientific: Campbell Scientific designs and manufactures dataloggers, meteorological measurement systems, and atmospheric sensors used by research institutes and weather services. It overlaps with Graw in serving atmospheric measurement customers with complementary ground station products.
- Vaisala: Vaisala is the global market leader in radiosondes (RS41) and weather measurement instruments, headquartered in Finland. It is the most direct competitor to Graw in upper-air sounding and meteorological instruments, with overlapping product lines including sounding systems and ground equipment.
- Sippican (Lockheed Martin): Sippican, part of Lockheed Martin, manufactures dropsondes and other atmospheric profiling instruments (e.g., for hurricane reconnaissance). It is a direct competitor in the atmospheric measurement instrument space, particularly serving military and government meteorological agencies.
- Yankee Environmental Systems (YES): YES produces balloon-borne and ground-based atmospheric instruments, including ozone sondes and GPS atmospheric profilers. It is a niche direct peer in the upper-air atmospheric measurement market served by Graw.
- Meteomodem: Meteomodem is a French/Swiss manufacturer of meteorological radiosondes (M10, M20) for upper-air soundings. It directly competes with Graw's DFM-17 in the same radiosonde product category, serving similar national weather services and research institutes.
- Halo Photonics: Halo Photonics is a UK-based manufacturer of Doppler lidar systems for atmospheric wind and aerosol profiling. Its lidar products directly compete with Graw's lidarCube family for wind and atmospheric measurements at high altitudes.
- Scintec AG: Scintec is a German manufacturer of atmospheric measurement systems including sodars, RASS, and lidars for wind and temperature profiling. Its atmospheric lidar offerings directly overlap with Graw's lidarCube product family.
Emerging players
- Optical Scientific, Inc. Optical Scientific develops atmospheric sensors and lidar systems for wind, turbulence, and visibility measurement. It is an emerging player with partial product overlap to Graw's lidarCube atmospheric lidar offerings.
- Renke (Hunan Rika Electronic Tech): Renke is a Chinese manufacturer of weather stations and environmental sensors. It is an emerging player offering lower-cost meteorological instruments that overlap with Graw's ground station product category.
Market position
Strengths1 record
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Customer concentration
GRAW Radiosondes social profiles
Digital presenceGRAW Radiosondes compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
GRAW Radiosondes financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
GRAW Radiosondes leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
GRAW Radiosondes funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
GRAW Radiosondes M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about GRAW Radiosondes
What does GRAW Radiosondes do?
GRAW Radiosondes manufactures meteorological radiosondes (DFM-17 GNSS radiosonde, PS-15 pilot sonde), ground-based sounding systems (GS-E, GS-U, GS-I, GS-B, multiSonde), atmospheric lidar systems (lidarCube family including lidarCube Mini and skyObserver), and supporting software (grawMet, grawGo, Sounding Center) used to measure pressure, temperature, humidity, and wind in the upper atmosphere. The complete ecosystem is sold to weather services, meteorological agencies, research institutes, and defense organizations for atmospheric profiling and weather forecasting.
Is GRAW Radiosondes a public or private company?
GRAW Radiosondes is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was GRAW Radiosondes founded?
GRAW Radiosondes was founded in 1938. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is GRAW Radiosondes based?
GRAW Radiosondes is headquartered in Nürnberg, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does GRAW Radiosondes make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Radiosonde Hardware Sales are the primary driver. The others are sounding System Sales, lidar System Sales, software Licenses and Subscriptions and accessories.
Who are GRAW Radiosondes's main competitors?
Sutron Corporation is listed as a broad incumbent. Direct peers are Campbell Scientific, Vaisala, Sippican (Lockheed Martin), Yankee Environmental Systems (YES), Meteomodem, Halo Photonics and Scintec AG. Emerging players are Optical Scientific, Inc. and Renke (Hunan Rika Electronic Tech).
Does GRAW Radiosondes have an API?
Yes. Graw offers a standardized HTTP REST API that allows simple data transfer into third-party systems. The API enables integration with external systems and supports the inclusion of additional meteorological data sources.