initiating an activation of at least one sensor of an aerial drone, wherein the at least one sensor is configured to collect, in real time, sensor data for determining a presence of at least one cloud which has been seeded to produce rain, wherein the sensor data is used to update map data associated with the at least one cloud which has been seeded to produce rain;

receiving map data, wherein the map data includes weather manipulation data for a three-dimensional region associated with at least one candidate route, wherein the weather manipulation data includes the sensor data which indicates whether there is at least one cloud which has been seeded to produce rain present and an altitude extent of the at least one cloud which has been seeded to produce rain;

generating the navigation route based on the weather manipulation data for at least one candidate route, wherein the navigation route is generated for flight of an aerial drone, and wherein the navigation route specifies an altitude to route the aerial drone based on the presence of at least one cloud which has been seeded to produce rain, wherein the at least one cloud which has been seeded to produce rain aids the flight of the aerial drone;

calculating a probability of encountering the at least one cloud which has been seeded to produce rain while on the navigation route;

selecting a candidate route for navigating an aerial drone, wherein the selected candidate route increases flight range for the aerial drone; and

initiating an autonomous control for a drone based in part on the calculated probability of encountering the cloud which has been seeded to produce rain and the selected candidate route.