The Spanish cities which saw DANA, on October 29, devastate everything in its path, found a new ally in microsatellites. THE quantity of information collected and its high degree of precision Not only did they allow the authorities to act more effectively in the days following the event, but they could also prove very useful in speeding up the reconstruction phase.
Thanks to synthetic aperture radar (SAR) microsatellites, we know that DANA caused flooding in 668 square kilometers of urban and agricultural areas and damaged 6,805 buildings. Behind this data is ICEYE, a Finnish company which, in the days following the disaster, handed over all the information it had to the Spanish authorities.
EYE OF ICE It was founded in 2014 to monitor the movement of ice at the poles and analyze its impact.. Subsequently, and thanks to advances in space technology, particularly in satellite manufacturing, the company added new applications and projects to its portfolio and managed to deploy a constellation that now reaches 38 SAR microsatellites.
Among all these applications, one of the most relevant is the one that must do natural disaster management and which was the one used in Spain during DANA. Gonzalo García, general director of ICEYE in Spain, explains to EL ESPAÑOL-Invertia that the company barely had a commercial presence in our country until a few weeks ago.
Since October 31, ICEYE has started send “fairly precise” reports to the Valencian Generalitat every 24 hours of the evolution of the flood thanks to the information collected by its constellation of microsatellites and their combination with data obtained through other sources of information, from official organizations to social networks.
Data obtained by the technology company ICEYE on the impact of DANA in Valencia.
EYE OF ICE
Information initially provided to authorities included the extent of flooding, specific areas affected or how deep the water had reached. “It gives you an idea of the severity of the flood and the severity of the damage“explains García.
As the flooding subsided and the flooded areas decreased, ICEYE began to subside. building damage informationcrossing the maps generated by their systems with other public maps, such as those from the land register.
The authorities were thus able to understand very early on What were the infrastructures most impacted by DANA? and which localities need support most urgently. Data which will also be very useful for managing the reconstruction of all the buildings concerned.
In fact, public administrations are not the only ones who can benefit from this information. Among ICEYE customers from other countries There are also insurance companies, reinsurance companies or financial entities. to whom the data provided by microsatellites can help them manage their business more effectively.
Early warning
But in addition to being useful after the disaster, microsatellites can also play a key role in the hours before. García specifies that at ICEYE they have a team of professionals who constantly monitor floods or natural disasters. And even if they are not able to predict exactly what will happen, yes They can detect when the risk of them occurring is higher.
Indeed, the manager emphasizes that, unlike other emergency services which are activated once the disaster is underway or has already occurred, they can provide “a little early warning”hours or even a day in advance, which helps administrations understand that “something bad” could happen and activate the necessary emergency teams.
Omicrono
Once this alert is generated, the company is able to direct the satellites more precisely to take images of a specific area. ICEYE satellites can take dozens of images per day of the same area, allowing understand in a “much more precise” way how the situation is evolving. And this in turn allows for better management of emergency and rescue services.
In this sense, the general director of ICEYE in Spain highlights that the company has been collaborating for years with public agencies in countries like the United States and Australia, which use their data to know, for example: How a natural disaster affected the electricity supply and which roads are closedwhat part of the population might need housing, etc.
Benefits
García points out that the use of radar microsatellites in natural disaster management has several advantages. The first, and most important, is that thanks to its ability to generate alerts about what may happen several hours in advance it is possible to save lives.
The second is that Public institutions and businesses can save money. On the one hand, by acting earlier and better directing the work of rescue teams. On the other hand, by more effectively managing the tasks to be accomplished once the disaster is over.
ICEYE microsatellite constellation.
EYE OF ICE
There is a third advantage more linked to another branch of activity of ICEYE, namely improve the level of understanding of what is happening in defense-related aspects. In fact, the company has been providing information to Ukraine on movements occurring on its borders almost since the start of its war with Russia.
All this is possible thanks to SAR technology, which allows satellites can capture images in all weather conditions (at night, with clouds, with volcanic ash, etc.). What optical satellites cannot do. Additionally, by functioning as a constellation, it allows you to take images of the same area multiple times per day.
And thanks to the commitment to innovation, it has been possible not only to “miniturize” satellites, reducing their weight and size, but also to increase their precision. In fact, currently It is possible to distinguish two things separated by only 25 centimeters. Advances which, according to García, show that the industry is “in a moment of explosion”.
