The ‘cloud’, which looks more like a spacecraft is built with ultra-light carbon material which is crammed with helium and therefore it is light in weight.
It is powered with solar-energy and is operated by the use of a remote control.
Dr. Saud Abdul Ghani, head of engineering at Qatar University, told a local Arabic newspaper that the solar-powered machines can also be used at beaches and parking lots and remotely maneuvered by a cell phone.
Qatar beat out the U.S. in December for the right to be the host of the World Cup, despite concerns about the heat, which can soar to 120 degrees in the summer.
Organizers from the oil-rich country vowed to install air conditioning even in outdoor stadiums, but until the “artificial cloud” announcement, it was unclear how they planned to protect players on the field from the sun.
The cost is estimated to be in the range of $500,000, but Dr. Ghani believes that will fall and the usefulness of the clouds will extend well beyond the World Cup.
