Palo Alto-Based Startup Admits Its ‘Smart Weather Balloon’ Likely Hit and Grounded a United Airlines Flight

The article was originally published on https://sfist.com/2025/10/21/palo-alto-based-startup-admits-its-smart-weather-balloon-likely-hit-and-grounded-a-united-airlines-flight/A Palo Alto startup that makes weather balloons admits it was “likely” their balloon that struck a United Airlines flight this past Thursday, cracking the windshield, injuring a pilot and forcing an emergency landing. It made some news last week when a United Airlines flight from Denver to LA had to make an emergency landing because something crashed into and broke part of its windshield. Follow-up reporting from KTVU points out that there were 134 passengers and six crew members on board, and that one of the pilots had his arm pretty badly injured and bloodied up. Some pictures from the aftermath can be seen below.