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Launched in October 2017, RUS (Research and User Support for Sentinel Core Products) was designed to support overcoming the difficulties generated by the huge amount of the downloaded data, the highly performant capacity required to process such data and finally, the capability to handle the data with an ad-hoc training offer, tailored to fit the needs of a wide community of users. This service (funded by the EC and managed by ESA), is offered at no cost to meet the requirements (in terms of technical and scientific support, computing resources and disk space identified by ESA) of different types of users: basic users calling for downloading support, R&D users wishing prototyping support and proficient users, in need of processing support.

1/Introduction to the Copernicus programme

Copernicus is the European Union’s Earth Observation (EO) Programme, looking at our planet and its environment for the ultimate benefit of all European citizens. Copernicus offers information services based on EO satellite and in situ (non-space) data. The Copernicus services deliver near-real-time data on a global level which can also be used for local and regional needs, to help us better understand our planet and sustainably manage the environment we live in. The Programme is served both by a set of dedicated satellites, the Sentinels and contributing missions.

The Sentinel satellites are specifically designed to meet the needs of the Copernicus services and their users. Since the launch of Sentinel-1A in 2014, the European Union set in motion a process to place a constellation of almost 20 more satellites in orbit before 2030.

In October 2017, RUS (Research and User Support for Sentinel Core Products) was launched, with the purpose to support overcoming difficulties generated by the massive volume of the downloaded data, the very performant computing capacity required to process such data and, finally, the capability to handle the data with an ad-hoc training offer, tailored to fit the needs of a vast community of users. Offered at no cost, this service (funded by the European Commission and managed by the European Space Agency (ESA)) meets the requirements (in terms of technical and scientific support, computing resources and disk space identified by ESA) of different types of users: basic users requiring downloading support, R&D users requiring prototyping support and proficient users, requiring processing support.

2/ICT Solutions

The service was set up to smooth out physical issues like downloading, storing and processing by exploiting Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) and Processing as a Service (PaaS). The IaaS includes network access, Virtual Machines (VM) with Computing Processing Units (CPU) and a scalable storage capacity. The PaaS includes data access (direct access to Copernicus Hub), communication tools (for chatting, mailing, sharing audio and videoconference with the Helpdesk), processing and viewing tools, development tools, collaboration tools, all necessary and relevant documentation and internet links. Free Open Source Software (FOSS) is pre-installed on demand on the VM, but users can also install their own Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) software on the machine. The infrastructure relies on three types of virtual environments:

  • Collaboration environment hosting a platform to offer services such as video-conference and chat, the Front Desk, the Administration Desk and the Service Management Desk
  • User environment hosting the development and processing platform: each RUS user could access to a dedicated cluster of user environments.

All this technological capacity makes it possible for RUS users to access Sentinel data, process it, develop algorithms and benefit from the interactive support provided by the RUS Operators, through the collaborative platform.

Use of Copernicus datasets as the main source of information is a prerequisite to access the RUS service, but EO and other data can be freely imported to be handled. The VMs provided by RUS work on a Linux environment where either free open-source either commercial off-the-shelf software can be installed and also includes programming and scripting environments. Default Processing libraries account for: GDAL, Sentinel Toolboxes, Orfeo Toolbox and SNAPHU; pre-installed processing tools include QGIS and SNAP, whereas current software development utilities are: Oracle JDK 1.8, Apache Ignite, Eclipse, GCC, CMAKE, Maven, GIT, Python 2.7/3.5, R 3.3. The ICT for the user is defined based on an analysis of the received service request: such analysis defines the scaling of the work environment in terms of duration, disk space and size (number of Virtual Machines, number of cores per machine, RAM per core).

More information on the RUS Service and access to the VM is available on https://rus-copernicus.eu/portal

3/Building Knowledge

To complement the ICT offer, training and outreach activities are implemented to create and increase a community of Copernicus users, focusing on a large portfolio of applications. Using the RUS VMs with pre-installed FOSS facilitates handling of such events, where participants can use their own laptops to manage the processing. Processing on the same configuration for each VM discards any pre-existing difference between the used laptops and operating systems. It facilitates the smooth running of the event. Face-to-face events are organized to meet the requirements of small groups of users: they receive specific training on EO theory and then are guided by the trainers, step by step, in the application of the learned theory in practical case-studies. The assigned VM remains accessible to the user, for several months after the training, so as to allow repeating or completing the exercises (or performing other processing activities).

Large webinars are organized on a monthly basis to attract new potential users. Tailored to provide in a condensed format, the instructions to perform some basic processing steps for exploiting Sentinel data, on specific applications. The trainings are closed by a Q&A session, allowing the participants to interact with the trainer. The sessions are recorded and made publically available for re-play on a dedicated youtube channel. Users interested to repeat the exercises can practice their own software. Or, they ask RUS the access to the VM pre-configured with all the material needed to perform the exercise. The theory lectures given during the face-to-face events are recorded and assembled with questions and multiple-choice answers. They are made available on RUS E-Learning portal. Scores are assigned for each completed course and badges are given to the users.

More information and access to the RUS Training Resources can be found at: https://rus-training.eu

4/Examples of utilisation

A few examples of processing results focusing on different applications, obtained by exploiting the service to prepare training sessions are provided in this section. The data and software needed to re-play the exercises are freely available within the RUS environment, together with the step by step instructions to generate most of the presented results.

  • Ship detection with Sentinel-1 enables detection of vessels not carrying Automatic Identification System (AIS) on board such as smaller fishing ships or ships that might be in the surveyed area illegally (illegal fishing, piracy, etc.). As SAR is not reliant on solar illumination and is rather independent of weather conditions, frequent monitoring is possible. The exercise exploits ESA’s Open Source Sentinel-1 Toolbox to process Sentinel-1 data, detecting targets larger than 30m in the Gulf of Trieste. Final output is exported as a point layer to an Open source GIS (QGIS). RUS VMs are used to run this exercise.


Figure 1. Ship detection in the gulf Trieste. Sentinel-1 products can be easily used for ship monitoring. In this case a single Sentinel-1 product was used and the kml derived from the analysis is shown on Google Earth. Each detected target is associated to information about estimated target length.

  • Burned area mapping: Two Sentinel-2 products acquired before and after a series of wildfires which affected central Portugal in June 2017 are used to map location and intensity of damage (burn severity). The exercise exploits ESA’s Open Source Sentinel-2 Toolbox to process Sentinel-2 data, comparing pre and post-imagery and calculating the Relativized Burn Ratio (RBR). Processed results are then exported to an Open Source GIS (QGIS), where post-processing (classification of severity level, following USGS suggested classification) is performed. RUS VMs are used for running the exercise.


Figure 2. Burned area detection in Portugal. Two Sentinel-2 products acquired before and after the wildfires of 17–18 June, 2017 are used to locate the area affected by the fires and assess burned severity. The image shows the output map visualized with QGIS (installed on the RUS VM).

Tutorials to reproduce the results described above exploiting the RUS service are being made freely available on the dedicated RUS Youtube channel. Furthermore upcoming training events are announced through social media, such as Twitter (@RUS_Copernicus) and Facebook .

5/Conclusions

RUS Service is a new, free service carried by an international team led by C-S France and involving Serco SPA, Noveltis, Along-Track and C-S Romania. The main aim of RUS is to promote uptake of Copernicus satellite data. This is achieved by facilitating user access and exploitation of the data through the use of VM with associated processing power and by carrying out training and education activities.

6/Contacts

Outreach: outreach@rus-copernicus.eu
Training: training@rus-copernicus.eu

November 21, 2017 saw the official kick-off of MySustainableForest, a project funded under the European Union’s framework research and innovation program, Horizon 2020, which aims at phasing increased use of Earth Observation technology and tools into the forestry sector to ensure a more sustainable use of our woodland.

Europe is about 40% woodland. For two decades now initiatives, agreements and policies have been underway to ensure a balanced development of these crucial woodland ecosystems.

The MySustainableForest initiative is being carried out by a GMV-led consortium including the Portuguese Navigator Company (Instituto de Investigaçao da Floresta e Papel: RAIZ), the Hrvatski Sumarski Institut (Croatian Forest Research Institute: CFRI), the University Forest Enterprise (UFE) of the University of Mendel of the Czech Republic (Mendelova Univerzita V Brne), the Forestry Association of Navarre (Asociación forestal de Navarra: FORESNA), the Lietuvos Misko Savininku Asociacija (Forest Owners’ Association of Lithuania: FOAL), the French National Forestry Ownership Center (Centre National de la Propriete Forestiere: CNPF), the Spanish companies Madera Plus Calidad Forestal SL (MADERA+) and Föra plus the European Forest Institute.

Forests are the lungs of our planet. But their key environmental role is not their only boon; their economic and social knock-on effects are coming into their own too. Direct and indirect benefits are in fact equally important. Conserving our forests and, above all, ensuring a sustainable use of them is therefore a pressing need at worldwide level.

Evaluating biomass, mapping timber quality, developing a climate-change strategy and pinpointing vulnerabilities are, among others, the applications to be developed during the course of this long-term, 36-month research project.

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GeoVille and its international partners DHI GRAS and ITC are currently cooperating with national authorities in Uganda to develop and implement a user-friendly wetland monitoring system. The system will provide an operational capacity to generate spatial time series statistical data for inventorying, monitoring and quantitatively reporting on national wetland resources using Earth observation data.

Effective reporting of progress towards indicators that measure, monitor and report progress on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and their associated targets are getting more and more important. This will require the use of multiple types of data, including traditional national accounts, household surveys and routine administrative data as well as new, nationwide sources of data outside the national statistical system. This can be provided through satellite Earth observation and geospatial information.

The project is consistent with the upcoming monitoring requirements in the context of SDG indicator 6.6.1 “Change in the extent of water-related ecosystems over time”. It also recognizes the critical importance of supporting developing countries in strengthening the capacity of national statistical offices and data systems to ensure access to high quality, timely, reliable and disaggregated data.

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Copernicus is a user-driven programme, and local and reginoal authorities are a key user group in this respect. The European Commission, the European Space Agency and the Network of European Regions Using Space Technologies (NEREUS) are collecting (at least) 100 Copernicus user stories from local and regional authorities across Europe.

Contributors which submit short and inspiring articles will benefit from enhanced outreach actions in 2018 and 2019. For example, the selected user stories will be gathered in a publication which will be made freely and openly available both online and as a high-quality printed edition. In addition to a wide promotion among policy-makers in local and regional administrations, elected representatives in European and Member State Parliaments and industry chief executives, the publication will be presented in the frame of a dedicated event at the European Parliament in Autumn 2018. Last but not least, exemplary cases from the publication will be turned into videos or serve as basis for thematic working sessions.

DEADLINE: Friday, 16th February 2018
More information

TRE ALTAMIRA together with E-geos have made thousands of images from the PST project ( Piano Straordinario di Telerilevamento ), which went live in 2008, years prior to the launch of Sentinel-1 satellites. The PST results are now presented in the article: Analysis of surface deformations over the Italian territory by interferometric processing of ERS, Envisat and COSMO-SkyMed radar data.

A forward-looking project. Using InSAR technology and more than 20,000 images from ERS, Envisat and COSMO-SkyMed satellites, the study has mapped unstable areas over Italy, detecting ground deformations due to subsidence, landslides, earthquakes and volcanic activities in a period covering 22 years (1992-2014).

Ground motion was traditionally considered a local phenomenon, and as such, its impact has been handed at a local level. The increasing importance of the need for a regular monitoring has resulted in more and more initiatives moving up to a national level and joining forces with local authorities. A detailed analysis of this nationwide study reveals a huge amount of information on the different phenomena affecting the territory, enabling a better characterisation of vulnerable areas with known instabilities. It provides a more accurate identification and mapping of threatened areas. It can also help establish that areas once considered at risk have recovered their stability.

Land management. The response to the high-priority, societal need of better understanding and mitigating terrain motions affecting our people, territory and economy has to be proactive rather than reacting only after an issue arises.

The new Sentinel-1 era. Today, multi-hazard ground motion studies with InSAR can benefit from the new Sentinel-1 satellite platform, specifically designed for ground deformation monitoring over large areas and operated by ESA.

A near-real time monitoring program of ground deformation. TRE ALTAMIRA is making the transition from historical satellite analyses of radar imagery to a near-real time monitoring programs at a regional and national scale. Up-to-date displacement information is routinely provided to clients relying on our advanced satellite InSAR technique (SqueeSAR™), our broad computing capacity and free access to timely Sentinel-1 images.

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A team of data scientists at the Satellite Applications Catapult is leading a new study, funded by Innovate UK, to see if it is possible to detect a lithium ‘fingerprint’ from space by imaging vegetation and minerals on the ground using satellites.

The data from this study will be integrated with geological information to create a ‘prospectivity map’ to help identify indicators of geological structures which may host lithium in waters (known as brines) deep below the surface.

The study is taking place in Cornwall where there are many intriguing historical accounts of brine containing lithium, some dating back to as early as 1864. Now that lithium has become a crucial material for the development of electric car batteries the lithium in Cornwall may represent an important resource. Lithium consumption is expected to grow rapidly over the next few decades as electric vehicles become mainstream. Additional demand is expected to come from power storage batteries that will be used to store electrical power harvested from renewable sources such as wind and solar.

The challenge posed by the study is to understand whether satellite techniques can assist in prioritising areas for exploration for the future production of lithium. Such techniques include the evaluation of geology and vegetation that might indicate the presence of structures bearing lithium-rich brines deep below the surface. The study explores how certain characteristics might appear on satellite images and how the processing of satellite Earth Observation (EO) data may assist exploration.

There are eleven organisations involved in the study, exploring four areas of research: geology, vegetation, fault detection and environmental monitoring of mining operations. Using the data from the project, the team will also develop a visualisation tool to show how EO and geological data can be integrated to develop software that can monitor the impact of a mine throughout its lifecycle.

The project has been funded through a grant of £850k from Innovate UK, the UK’s innovation agency and the team comprises experts from the British Geological Survey, Camborne School of Mines (part of the University of Exeter), Carrak Consulting, North Coast Consulting, Cornish Lithium Ltd, CGG, Terrabotics, Telespazio Vega UK, Geo Performa and Dares Technology.

Cornish Lithium Ltd. is leading the search for lithium in Cornwall and the results from this project are expected to expand the company’s understanding of the geological structures which are the main targets for where lithium may be extracted from in the future.

Jeremy Wrathall, Founder & CEO, Cornish Lithium Ltd, said: “We are delighted to be part of this exciting project, as well as for the recognition that our project has received from Innovate UK. Lithium has significant strategic importance to the UK economy and we hope that the funding will accelerate understanding of the potential to extract lithium in Cornwall. We believe that techniques developed from this study will prove of great interest to the mining industry globally given the growing importance of Earth Observation techniques as an unobtrusive exploration tool worldwide. We look forward to taking this exciting project forward to the next stage of its development.”

Dr. Cristian Rossi, Principal EO Specialist, Satellite Applications Catapult, said:“Project Lithium is a very exciting project for the Catapult. We get to push boundaries by integrating cutting edge Earth Observation techniques with local surveys to develop the first digital maps that display the probability of occurrence of lithium in Cornwall. Initial investigations show promising outcomes and the team is currently working on their validation.”

The project is due to have results by the end of March 2018.

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The Association of Geospatial Industries is a non-profit, non-Government, industry body, representing the common and collective interest of the Geospatial Industry in India. Geospatial Technologies encompass a wide range of technologies such as Remote Sensing, Surveying, Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), Geographical Information System (GIS), Photogrammetry, Image Processing and other emerging technologies that assist the user in the collection, analysis and interpretation of spatial data with reference to geographic information.

Could you tell us a bit about the history of AGI; how your organisation started, what is your mission and how does it fit with other entities in India taking care of the industry sector which delivers commercial services based on Earth Observation (EO) data?

The Association of Geospatial Industries, or AGI, was founded through a series of consultation amongst leaders of select group of companies operating in the Indian geospatial market in 2008. The process of consultation was facilitated by Geospatial Media leveraging its relationship with major industry players. It took about two years to set up a formal mechanism, wherein a group of 10 companies, with presence across more than seven provinces of India, came forward to establish AGI as Non-for-Profit industry association. The primary purpose of AGI has been to pursue the common business objectives of geospatial industry in India. It began with creating awareness, building business development platforms, and undertaking policy advocacy. Right from its inception, AGI considered Earth Observation as an important component of larger geospatial information and technology, and satellite data and processing companies have been associated as partner in its journey right through.

Can you describe briefly the main activities of AGI its involvement with the Indian EO industry? What has been the greatest challenge encountered by your organisation?

As stated above, Earth Observation companies have been an integral part of AGI since its inception. In fact, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) invested significantly in scaling up EO applications, and several geospatial service companies found initial incubation through ISRO’s industry outreach program for data processing. Penetration and proliferation of remote sensing data and its societal applications offered the much-needed broader base for geospatial companies to move up the value chain. A major challenge encountered by AGI has been working around the regulated remote satellite data policy in the country. Though the policy has been evolving over the years, it is still more responsive in nature than enabling through open data network.

Contrasting India and Europe probably there are different approaches shaped by the different market conditions. How do the Indian EO data suppliers invest in new opportunities?

It would be difficult and inappropriate to draw a parallel between the European and Indian approaches towards developing EO market opportunities. However, I would like to emphasise that Indian entrepreneurs have been very innovative and agile in shaping vibrant EO and geospatial capabilities, serving not only Indian market but also offering its services and solutions to the world. In the absence of industrial incubation environment and lack of accessibility to quality data for decades, Indian entrepreneurs took very constructive and positive approaches in integrating geospatial and EO data, and developed locally relevant applications. In fact, I have no hesitation in saying that, Indian geospatial market integrated EO in its offerings much earlier than probably Europe. That’s why founding members of AGI had significant representation of EO companies.

In January 2018, AGI and EARSC signed a memorandum of understanding to develop synergies and strengthen cooperation in business, research and technology between India and Europe in the utilisation of EO technology. What are your expectations and how do you judge the first steps which have been taken?

I would like to congratulate the leadership of AGI and EARSC, who came together for developing institutional partnership between Europe and India. It is a very natural alliance, wherein members of AGI and EARSC could benefit from the expertise and market outreach of respective networks. Since AGI and EARSC both represent commercial companies associated with the EO industry, the first and foremost step could be to develop a network of engagement amongst its members. It would be worthwhile to put together a white paper outlining EO data infrastructure of Europe and India; cataloguing of expertise and capabilities available with members of AGI and EARSC; and identification of areas of collaboration.

In your opinion, what will be the best mechanism to build a strong partnership?
I believe the way forward would be developing Business to Business Platform between the members of EARSC and AGI, as well as facilitating Government to Government collaboration through the exchange of knowledge, practices and experience especially in the field of policy development and commercialisation.

At the end of the interview, here is the opportunity for your final thoughts and how your activities could contribute to the future development of the EO geo-information service sector?

Democratisation, commercialisation and monetisation of EO industry is a very critical aspect of the new digital world. AGI And EARSC through their respective member networks could play a vital role in expanding value and impact of satellite data in larger geospatial market through integrated solutions and services.

Short Biography

As a social entrepreneur and Chief Executive at Geospatial Media and Communications, Sanjay Kumar has been working towards facilitating and accelerating growth of the geospatial industry worldwide and raising awareness of the industry’s value proposition and contribution to world’s economy and society.
Having co-founded Geospatial Media and Communications, Sanjay has been responsible for its transformation and evolution to be a leading geospatial media organisation making difference through geospatial knowledge and advocacy. Sanjay also co-founded Association of Geospatial Industries of India in 2008 and is on Board of Directors of Open Geospatial Consortium since 2011. He is the Chairman of United Nations GGIM – Private Sector Network, and Board Member of Radiant Earth Imagery for Impact.
Sanjay holds a Masters in Political Science and M. Phil. in International Studies from the University of Delhi.

The Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (EASME) has approved the IDEEO project – « Internationalisation and Diversification of European Earth Observation ».

IDEEO is funded under the COSME Cluster Go International action and will run over fifteen months, starting from 1st January 2018. The consortium is coordinated by the European Association of Remote Sensing Companies – EARSC and composed of 2 sectorial clusters Pôle Mer Bretagne Atlantique (France) and Cluster Lucano di Bioeconomia (Italy). The NEREUS network is also involved as partners for dissemination and contact with the regions.

The overarching objective of the IDEEO project is the creation of a new European partnership which will promote internationally the use of European Earth Observation capability in different sectors such as marine, agriculture, energy etc. In order to meet the expected impacts specified by the Call, IDEEO has defined four specific objectives that will govern the respective activities carried out in the project to:

  • Analyse international market and policy aspects in order to define sectors with the highest export potential for the European Earth Observation based solution companies
  • Develop a joint cross-cluster and cross-sectorial internationalisation strategy in order to internationally promote the European Earth Observation sector in the selected sectors
  • Propose an implementation roadmap facilitating the internationalisation of the European SME´s
  • Maximise the impact of the activities through well-defined communication, dissemination, stakeholder engagement and exploitation strategies.

The project kicked-off on January 10th, 2018 at EARSC’s premises in Brussels. Two thematic workshops will be organised around the agriculture sector in Matera, Italy (end of April) and maritime sector in Brest, France (beginning of October) in order to create sinergies with the EO sector and better define internationalisation priorities.

Blockchain technology is said to be the biggest innovation in computer science and it is predicted to revolutionize the economy world. If you want your stock to be successful, you should do something with Blockchain.

This mocking advice is currently circulating on the net. These days everyone is talking about Blockchain, but no one is really doing it. The Munich-based start-up cloudeo is doing it. Cloudeo sells geodata, plans to go public and raised millions in the pre-IPO phase. On top of that their own cryptocurrency is to be launched on the market.

Cloudeo does not only plan an ICO, but also an IPO: The start-up will be listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange in Canada in the first half of the year. Also in the first six months of the year, an ICO will launch for its Cloudeo Blockchain tokens.

In the course of a pre-IPO round, the company has just collected five million euros for a valuation of 41.5 million euros from tech investors from America and Europe. Last summer, the Munich-based company already collected 2.4 million euros in Series A.

Cloudeo operates a marketplace for ready to use geoservices, IT and software. They specialize in the analysis and trading of geodata from multiple vendors and in making this data accessible and useful for a broader public. The start-up collects data from satellites, weather balloons or smartphones and sells protected access to the data. These are then used, for example, by customers from agriculture, logistics and even in the gaming sector or by IoT devices.

Cloudeo are taking they pursue accessibility and transparency to the next level now. They have launched a blockchain venture to be on the forefront of data collection and the provision of location services critical to expanding the Internet of Things and the development of Artificial Intelligence. Currently, they are setting up the non-profit organization CBN Foundation (short for “Cloudeo Blockchain Network Foundation”) and are planning to issue tokens for an ICO. The foundation wants to involve users with the blockchain technology by means of smart contracts with very small amounts in the data they generate. In other words, cloudeo is creating a decentralized network of providers, users and collectors of geodata.

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On 23 January 2018, in the presence of HR/VP Mogherini, the European Space Agency and the European Union Satellite Centre signed an Administrative Arrangement on the formal establishment of their cooperation.

The 10th EU Space Policy Conference in Brussels has provided a suitable framework for this ceremony.

The arrangement, signed by ESA Director of Earth Observation Programmes Josef Aschbacher, on behalf of ESA Director General JD Woerner, and SatCen Director Pascal Legai will provide a stable foundation for further collaboration between the two organisations, in order to improve synergies between space and security activities and to further develop operational capabilities.

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