EO data

Applications

Knowledge about the current land cover, land use, and changes is crucial for the planning and management of any kind of region. National parks, wetlands, lakes, riverbeds, and sea coastline are under the responsibility of the government. Open satellite data like Sentinel-1 and -2 gives a great opportunity to manage these areas with a minimum effort. 10-meter multispectral resolution data is enough for a variety of applications environmentally important – drought, flood monitoring, sweet water reservoirs bio-condition monitoring, forest cover/change/health monitoring, biodiversity monitoring and protection, air quality monitoring, land temperature monitoring, etc.

The majority of forests are used for timber production by state-owned companies which funds the state budget. Management of forests requires a complex knowledge of huge areas including soils, water relations, climate and microclimate specification, etc. Satellite data can help with estimating forest changes and their influence on climate. Current data from space are a tool for locating fires, diseases, or drought effects on trees' condition.

Many of the agricultural processes are supported by the Earth Observations (EO). Starting from the local level, EO data helps in finding the most suitable place for specific crops, forecasting crops, or keeping records of agricultural plots. Through more advanced SAR or hyperspectral remote sensing techniques, implemented in precision farming. Ending at the central level, where EO data enables the identification of less-favored areas and helps in the development and implementation of programs supporting the development of agriculture and direct farm payments.

Satellite data plays an important role in spatial planning in both urban and rural landscapes. They allow you to review your area of interest and carry out complex analyzes. Imagery is currently one of the main sources of information used in the preparation of current land use plans, taking into account changes in land use and cover, in the designation of new investment areas, and the detection of wetlands. An example is the Sentinel-2 data which provides quick and understandable insight into the current and past situation. For investors who want to expand their business in remote regions, the key factor of support is information about the condition of the potential investment area.

Natural disasters like floods, fires or storms have usually wide spatial impact. Open satellite data provide base to detect those influences and assess it diversity. Moreover, specialistic methods based on satellite data both environmental and atmospheric are used to detect favorable conditions and early stage of potential natural risk like drought or algal bloom on lakes. SAR imagery processing is highly recommended for ground movement monitoring, for example radar interferometry can detect the landslides risk and effect, especially important for mining and mountain tourism. Very high resolution data are crucial for assessing building catastrophes, managing huge events with crowds participating, assuring safety of governmental and military properties.

Satellite data is used to control and detect vessel movement in the seas and oceans. They are useful in managing maritime affairs and ensure the safe transport of valuable goods such as liquefied chemical gases and oil. In the event of an accident, the images provide quick assistance to map the consequences. EO data combined with AIS information is a powerful tool for monitoring maritime objects and phenomena. Using satellite data, it is possible to monitor the shores of the seas and even the changing depth of the water.