> Shooting one into a storm cloud could provoke a strike, I suppose. But it would be on the shooter.
From what I understand they use a laser to designate the target then the lightning follows it to its target. I don’t claim to know how it works but I’ve seen footage of it in action.
Sounds like a kind of long reach taser. The shooter needs a source of sufficient electrical power located where he is. It would not be able to pull a bolt down from a storm cloud on a distant target.