GPS World

Tag: GIS

  • International Lidar Mapping Forum looking for speakers

    Organizers of the International Lidar Mapping Forum (ILMF), taking place Jan. 28-30, 2019, in Denver, are looking for speakers.

    ILMF is a technical conference and exhibition showcasing the latest airborne, terrestrial and underwater lidar, as well as emerging remote-sensing and data collection tools and technologies.

    According to organizers, the show will allow attendees and exhibitors to connect with hundreds of professionals seeking lidar and other 3D geospatial data collection technologies to support asset management, civil infrastructure, coastal zone mapping, emergency services and disaster response, land and natural resource management, urban modeling and more. It will also cover the latest advances in lidar technology.

    Keynote speakers at the event will include the U.S. Geological Survey’s Jeff Sloan, who will discuss if data from UAS sensors will overtake manned and satellite sources; Colorado State University’s Michael Lefsky, who will discuss reconstructing historic land use and forest structure using aerial photos and structure from motion analysis; and the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s Eric Larour, who will address a new tool from NASA for coastal planners.

    ILMF will be co-located with the ASPRS Annual Conference. The combined event will feature a single exhibit hall. The two events will still have their own technical programs, and attendees will have the option to purchase a conference pass for programs of their choice or a universal pass for all offered programs.

    Learn more about the event here.

  • Bentley Systems named 2018 Microsoft Partner of the Year for Malaysia railway project

    Bentley Systems has received a 2018 Microsoft Partner of the Year award for helping Malaysia’s Mass Rapid Transit Corporation (MRTC) in going digital for a railway project. According to Microsoft, through this project, Bentley Systems demonstrated excellence in innovation and implementation of user solutions based on Microsoft technology.

    These awards were distributed in 39 categories, and Bentley Systems received the award in the CityNext Partner of the Year category.

    With more than 1.7 million people residing in just 94 square miles, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia has one of the highest population densities globally. As a result, it is estimated that residents living in the Greater Klang Valley region collectively spend 280 million hours per year stuck in traffic, said Bentley Systems. The Sungai Buloh-Serdang-Putrajaya (SSP) line is the second line of MRTC’s Klang Valley Mass Rapid Transit railway project, which will create better mobility for residents and make it possible to ease traffic by an estimated 160,000 cars daily, Bentley Systems said.

    According to Bentley Systems, the SSP line is Malaysia’s largest infrastructure projects. It includes 11 interchange stations and created an estimated 130,000 job opportunities.

    “We are honored to have received this prestigious award which recognizes Bentley as a provider of cloud-based software solutions powered by Azure, for the advancement of infrastructure projects throughout the world, and specifically for Mass Rapid Transit Corporation’s outstanding Sungai Buloh-Serdang-Putrajaya line in Malaysia,” said Greg Bentley, CEO of Bentley Systems. “MRTC is going digital, harnessing Bentley and Microsoft technology to deliver one of the most ambitious infrastructure projects ever undertaken in Asia.”

    Founded in 1984, Bentley Systems provides engineers, architects, geospatial professionals, constructors, and owner-operators with comprehensive software solutions for advancing infrastructure.

  • OGC hosts disaster preparedness workshop

    The Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) is hosting the second Disasters Concept Development Study Workshop July 24-25 at the NOAA Auditorium in Silver Spring, Maryland.

    Organized by OGC, the workshop is sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Geographic Data Committee, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and other government agencies.

    The workshop is part of the OGC’s Disaster Concept Development Study, and will shape future activities to be led by OGC regarding disaster preparedness and response, and to inform development of potential disaster spatial data infrastructures (SDI).

    According to NOAA, in 2017 in the United States there were 16 major natural disasters with costs that exceeded 306 billion dollars, shattering previous annual records.

    The workshop asks whether more lives can be saved and damages reduced by providing better discovery and access to data that will improve mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery from disasters.

    The ability to effectively share, use and reuse geospatial information and applications across and between governments and non-government organizations in support of disaster response and resilience depends on having a spatial data infrastructure in place when disaster strikes.

    The OGC is bringing together key stakeholders in the natural hazards disaster communities to advance the emerging Disaster SDI by conducting a study and developing a set of pilots over the coming years. OGC’s Disasters Interoperability Concept Development Study (CDS) will assess the current state of data and product exchange technologies as used in disaster planning, response, and recovery. The information gained in the CDS will aid in developing a series of future pilots that will in turn advance the state of SDIs that support disaster risk reduction across the globe.

    For more information on the Disasters Concept Development Study, visit the website or email [email protected].

    For more information on the Disasters CDS Workshop, including the agenda and how to register, visit the event page on the OGC website. Registration for the workshop is free but mandatory.

  • Airbus and U.S. Air Force commemorate 25 years of Eagle Vision program

    Airbus Defence and Space is celebrating the 25th anniversary of Eagle Vision, its lightweight deployable imagery downlink ground station designed to process and distribute commercial satellite imagery in near-real time to support U.S. Air Force and Air National Guard missions in homeland security, combat and disaster relief.

    Eagle Vision allows downloading and processing of unclassified commercial satellite imagery directly in the field, as the satellite passes overhead, supporting military leaders, even in remote areas and non-anticipated operations. Imagery provided by this system supports wartime operations, natural disaster and relief efforts as well as Homeland Defense preparations.

    “Today we celebrate an uninterrupted success since 1993,” said François Lombard, director of the intelligence business at Airbus Defence and Space. “Since then, Eagle Vision has become a valuable source for commercial imagery exploitation for the U.S. Air Force and many entities within the U.S. government, to provide fresh, near-real time satellite data for information extraction in preparation for mission critical applications.”

    The system receives and processes SPOT 6 and 7, TerraSAR-X and Pléiades images, and is also capable of processing Landsat, Radarsat, RapidEye, Cartosat, Ikonos, Cosmo-SkyMed and Resurs-DK data.

    The Eagle Vision Program has been a valuable asset within the U.S. Air Force for the past 25 years, the company said. The program enables warfighters, first responders and planners to have situational awareness so that they can plan, execute and deliver mission resources efficiently and effectively, Airbus said.

    Five Eagle Vision systems have been developed and sustained 24/7 by Airbus Defence and Space for the last 25 years. They are assigned to:

    • Ramstein Air Base, Germany
    • San Diego Air National Guard Station, California
    • McEntire Joint National Guard Base, South Carolina
    • Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii
    • Redstone Arsenal, Alabama.

  • Dewberry to update lidar for Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands after hurricane

    The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has selected Dewberry, a privately held professional services firm, to collect and process Quality Level 1 topographic lidar data of Puerto Rico, including the islands of Culebra, Vieques and Isla de Mona; and the U.S. Virgin Islands of St. Croix, St. John and St. Thomas.

    The new data will be used to identify the impact of Category 5 Hurricane Maria, which struck the territories in September 2017.

    Digital elevation model of El Yunque National Forest produced from 2016 topographic lidar data. (Image: Dewberry)

    The project will be completed under Dewberry’s Geospatial Product and Services Contract with USGS to support the agency’s 3D Elevation Program.

    Dewberry has been performing mapping, mitigation planning and sea-level rise studies in Puerto Rico for more than 10 years, primarily serving the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

    In a similar effort, the firm recently collected and processed more than 3,400 square miles of topographic and bathymetric lidar data for USGS, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

    For that project, the data were collected prior to Hurricane Maria’s landfall, and the new data will be assessed in comparison to that dataset to evaluate the storm’s impact. Lidar data have not been collected for the U.S. Virgin Islands in more than 10 years.

    Digital Elevation Model of the Guajataca Lake Dam produced from 2016 topographic lidar data. (Image: Dewberry)

    The new lidar data will be collected, processed and delivered by the spring of 2019. Dewberry will perform all ground surveys and its geospatial team will complete the processing and creation of digital elevation models and other ancillary products. The firm’s subconsultant, Leading Edge Geomatics, will perform the data acquisition using two Riegl VQ1560i sensors.

    “The pre-storm data we had collected and processed under our prior task order was instrumental in assisting FEMA, its partners and the local Puerto Rican government in planning and conducting its post-Maria disaster recovery work,” said Amar Nayegandhi, CP, CMS, GISP, vice president of geospatial and technology services for Dewberry. “The new data are being collected at a higher density to also support the infrastructure community and will show how the storm has altered the terrain.”

  • Topcon’s new data controller offers better speed and power

    Topcon’s new data controller offers better speed and power

    Topcon Positioning Group has introduced the T-18 handheld controller, which is designed to drive geopositioning, construction, mapping and vertical construction applications.

    The controller includes a 3.7-inch sunlight-readable display with a 1-GHz processor, 1 GB of internal storage and up to 10 hours of battery life, the company said.

    For data collection using Topcon’s MAGNET Field software, the T-18 controller offers a durable ergonomic solution with fast processing, a large screen, excellent connectivity and a long battery life.

    Topcon MAGNET Field software offers a complete field solution for geopositioning professionals, enabling users to collect survey mapping data and perform construction and road layout using total stations, levels and GNSS receivers.

    The T-18 features a 3.5G cellular modem for connectivity with Topcon MAGNET solutions for sending and receiving data to the cloud company account.

    “The cellular option makes it easy to communicate with field crews when projects need to be changed or if important data is required back in the office. Additionally, the modem can be used for RTK (real-time kinematic) correction services,” Kerwin said.

    Other key features include standard Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, as well as an IP65 rating for dust and water protection in demanding job site conditions.

  • Hangar joins Esri Startup Program to add aerial insights to ArcGIS

    Hangar Technology Inc., a robotics-as-a-system technology company providing scalable 4D visual insights, has been selected to join the Esri Startup Program.

    The three-year program helps emerging business partners bring new and innovative products to Esri customers.

    The initial partnership between Hangar and Esri will enable ArcGIS customers to request and receive autonomous, precision-captured drone data on demand from within ArcGIS, enabling industries to gain real-time awareness and insight about locations and features.

    The GIS community has grown accustomed to ambiguous and infrequent imagery. While emerging robotic enablers like drones provide a high-resolution, low-cost alternative to satellite and manned aircraft imagery, there hasn’t been a feasible way for GIS professionals to repeatedly gather precision location insight at scale, from potentially thousands of features within Esri maps, Hangar said in a statement.

    Hangar not only makes aerial data possible at this scale, but also available on request from within ArcGIS. Using a system of systems, Hangar streamlines and automates the 4D data supply chain, enabling task-and-receive reality capture. In the near future, ArcGIS users will be able to request aerial insights at any feature, and have imagery delivered back in 24 to 48 hours or less.

    “The pain we see in the GIS community is an inability to quickly and efficiently pair 2D data with the 3D reality,” said Jeff DeCoux, CEO and founder of Hangar. “We’re excited to work with Esri to deliver on-demand, precision 4D insight to ArcGIS users. Hangar will enable businesses to take full advantage of robotics as instruments of data collection, and provide the industry much needed repeatability and scale.”

    ArcGIS Online users will have the capability to request and receive aerial imagery at variable frequencies or volumes. Requests can be made manually, on an as-needed basis, or automatically, based on contextual triggers or volume requirements. Data is autonomously captured, automatically processed, then delivered back to the customer via a high-speed delivery engine.

    The digital missions behind requests are saved indefinitely, and can be performed repetitively with absolute precision and accuracy, preserving data integrity over time. ArcGIS users will be able to view captures within 24 to 48 hours from the initial request, across a variety of data types.

    “Hangar empowers Esri users to explore any of the thousands of features within ArcGIS maps, observing ground truth at each pin in incredible detail, today and over time,” said Francis Kelly, Esri, global partner programs manager. “Hangar adds valuable data validity and scalability to the budding drone industry. We’re excited to work with them to give Esri users the ability to analyze and consume physical world content in a new and meaningful way.”

    As big-data levels of precision spatial data are collected over time, Hangar will work with Esri to intelligently apply change detection and pattern recognition to enable a new era GIS that includes artificial intelligence and machine learning.

    Hangar will be attending the Esri User Conference, July 9-13 in San Diego, at booth Z19 to demonstrate its technology and showcase the partnership with Esri.

  • Auto-scanning total stations working on China’s expressways

    Spectra Precision‘s Focus 35 robotic total stations are helping build the world’s largest expressway network. For instance, the Focus 35, with its time-saving automatic scan template, is checking the cross-section quality of the twin Nan Kunshan tunnels for the new six-lane Shazhan S14 regional highway.

    Excavation under Nankun Mountain for the twin tunnels, each 4.1 kilometers (km) long and each capable of carrying three lanes of vehicular traffic, began in September 2016.

    In the current second phase of construction, the Focus 35 is being used to gather data that will be used to compare the as-built tunnels to the design specifications to determine what adjustments to the tunnel surfaces may need to be made.

    The Focus 35 was selected for the scanning work because it offers a streamlined and efficient workflow that yields significant time-savings, the company said. The workflow of a conventional total station requires time-consuming manual scanning followed by export to a separate post-processing function after which a DXF file is generated.

    The Focus 35, with its Trimble Access Tunnel software, saves significant time because it automatically scans and directly generates DXF reports for submission to the contractor to check over-break and under-break values, the company said.

    When completed, the new six-lane 800-km Shazhan highway will connect Shantou and Zhanjiang, two important coastal cities in southern Guangdong province. The contractor for the Nan Kunshan tunnels is ChangDa Highway Engineering Co. Ltd.

  • The evolution of remote sensing platforms

    Drones and robots complement traditional platforms, delivering insights in unique use cases.

    Guest column by Mike Fuller

    Geographic surveys have changed in the last 150 years. What started with early film cameras strapped to hot air balloons, kites and homing pigeons has advanced — both in terms of sensors and the platforms on which they’re deployed. These innovations — which include drones and robots — are changing the way we can collect data, enabling us to gather greater detail and providing richer insights about the world around us.

    These nascent platforms are set to explode in popularity. The global market for remote sensing platforms will more than double in the next four years. It’s projected to reach more than $21 billion by 2022, driven in large part by use of drones, according to an October 2017 report from MarketsandMarkets.

    Despite the anticipated growth in drone and robot usage, they will not replace traditional remote sensing platforms such as airplanes, satellites and vehicles. The new technologies bring with them some limitations with regard to the number, size and weight of sensors they can carry, capture rates, area covered and and line-of-site restrictions.

    As a result, drones and robots will offer new capabilities that complement the traditional platforms and provide greater geographic detail, as well as the ability to be quickly deployed and constantly monitor areas where humans cannot routinely go.

    How far we’ve come

    To understand how far geographic information system (GIS) mapping and remote sensing technology has come, it’s important to consider how it started. Inventors in the 1800s relied on early film cameras and somewhat unreliable, imprecise airborne platforms — such as hot air balloons, pigeons and kites — to conduct land surveys and do surveillance.

    The introduction of a new kind of “bird” — the airplane — opened up new opportunities in the 1900s, supporting the use of more accurate aerial photography for reconnaissance and mapping.

    Satellite technology launched remote sensing into space in the 1970s, supporting the collection of detailed multispectral data that led to improved understanding of minerals, soils, urban growth, agriculture and other geographic features.

    Even though the technology has become more sophisticated, GIS professionals still leverage data from many of these historical platforms:

    • Manned aircraft – planes and helicopters
    • Satellites – high-resolution satellites and cubesats
    • Terrestrial – survey vehicles and handheld devices

    But — much like the impact of airplanes and satellites — we’re on the precipice of another significant milestone for remote sensing. Marked by use of burgeoning drone and robotic technology, this new technology will complement traditional platforms and deliver more insights than ever before possible.

    Rise of drones and robots

    Drones and robots are the newest remote sensing platforms catching the eye of the GIS community. Not only are they cool and cutting-edge, they open up a new class of use cases that were previously not possible with traditional aerial survey methods. They offer new opportunities to monitor remote areas, and their form factors and cost enables a higher frequency of data collection compared to aerial survey.

    Because of their unique features, users are envisioning how these platforms can be implemented for remote sensing in many fields, such as energy, oil and gas, aviation, forestry, transportation, emergency management, and natural resource preservation and restoration.

    When the frequency of data from these platforms is coupled with analytics and cloud infrastructure, it is possible to acquire, analyze and act in ways that were not possible before.

    Keep in mind, though, that each technology comes with trade-offs. Users should assess their goals, and weigh these factors, to determine if drones or robots will deliver the results they wish to achieve. Let’s take a closer look:

    Drones

    QuantumSpatial_sensor-uav-WDrones are capable of delivering ultra-high-resolution data, with ground sample distances (GSD) of 1 cm and accuracy of under 5 cm. However, accuracy is highly variable; it can vary based on the drone model, terrain and software used to process the collected data.

    The form factor of many drones also limits the ability to do multi-sensor flights. A drone typically can cover no more than a few square miles per day with a visible or multispectral camera, compared to manned aircraft that span hundred of thousands of acres a day carrying hyperspectral, lidar and orthophotography devices simultaneously.

    Because they can be deployed quickly, and on a daily basis, drones offer a cost-effective, practical approach for covering small areas compared to other aerial survey methods. But drone usage currently faces a significant impediment.

    Current regulations require operators to maintain sight of the devices during all flights. These line-of-site restrictions limit the distance a drone can go on each flight, and require operators to change locations multiple times for a single survey. As a result, frequent revisits can be labor intensive.

    Battery life also plays a role in the usability of drones. Most commercial drones can fly for only about 45 minutes, despite continued improvements in battery technology. Combined with the line-of-site restrictions, battery life impacts the amount of territory drones can cover. Most can handle only a few square or linear miles during each flight, making helicopters or airplanes better suited for projects that span hundred of miles or more.

    Despite some of the drawbacks, drones are proving ideal in many use cases — from damage assessment and power restoration after hurricanes to data collection for hydraulic modeling, stream restoration design and aquatic habitat assessment.

    For example, drones equipped with bathymetric and terrestrial laser scanning sensors are ideal for supporting riverine mapping applications. In these cases, drones offer an effective alternative when the waterway cannot be accessed, or it is too dangerous to use ground- or water-based survey methods for collecting channel geometry.

    Robots

    QuantumSpatial_sensor-lidar-robot-WRobotic platforms are flexible, enabling users to attach a variety of sensors, including thermal cameras, lidar and sniffers for natural gas or other hazardous material. They are rarely hampered by payload restrictions, like drones.

    And, with programming, robots can return to their chargers when their batteries dip below a certain threshold.

    Like drones, there are many potential applications for terrestrial remote sensing robots. One use is for precision agriculture to test soil, water and plant health.

    Many utilities are expressing serious interest, too, for robots. These robots can include onboard spectral, thermal and lidar sensors, precision navigation and hazard cameras to perform fine-scale spatial mapping and can acquire a wide array of data from electrical substations.

    In this scenario, the robotic platform could detect physical and spectral changes, identify objects, monitor corrosion, detect liquid and gas leaks, and conduct thermal monitoring. Using this model, utilities could track substation environments remotely, saving time associated with physical inspections and enabling earlier detection of potential problems.

    Systemwide approach required

    Traditional remote sensing platforms — airplanes, satellites and vehicles — will continue to play an important role in GIS mapping. Drones and robots give us new tools that will have a dramatic impact on the amount of detailed geographic information collected.

    For these new platforms to be used effectively as complements to traditional platforms, the industry must adopt a systems approach that takes into consideration a number of factors:

    • The end application
    • The sensors and acquisition protocol that will collect data at the precision required by the end application
    • The actionable analytics that need to be extracted from the data
    • How the data and insights integrate with the business processes used for decision making.

    By taking this approach, those who work in a variety of fields can gather the insights they need to do their jobs more effectively and efficiently, while leveraging the unique strengths offered by these emerging platforms.

  • Esri’s Africa GeoPortal to help with urgent development challenges

    Esri has launched the Africa GeoPortal, a comprehensive cloud-based platform that provides rich content and solutions from Esri and its partners.

    The geoportal provides access to Esri’s ArcGIS Online service as well as geographic data and imagery for Africa.

    The African Union, African Development Bank, other international agencies, nongovernmental organizations (NGO), academia, businesses and national government funds will be able to use the geoportal to address the most urgent development challenges — from economic development and climate adaptation to conservation and health care.

    “Access to this Africa GeoPortal powered by the ArcGIS platform will provide my colleagues at the iLab, and others in the network of African Technology Hubs (AfriLabs), with the information and analytical capabilities that we need to make the most effective development interventions for our citizens and communities,” said Luther Jeke, Manager of iCampus at iLab Liberia.

    The complimentary software-as-a-service technology is offered to all who are supporting African nations for positive economic, social and environmental outcomes — African citizens, NGOs, and international development agencies alike.

    The geoportal offers access to spatial analytics capabilities and authoritative content for charting compelling, educational, informational, entertaining and beautiful maps of Africa, Esri said.

    “We are deeply committed to helping the people of Africa discover, explore, and understand the vast information available to them through the power of maps,” said Jack Dangermond, Esri founder and president. “Through this service, we hope to provide our users with the benefit of ongoing developments and investments at Esri so they can foster missions to the best of their abilities.”

    To learn more about the Africa GeoPortal and Esri’s commitment to supporting the global community in the quest for sustainability through better mapping and location intelligence, visit go.esri.com/africa_geoportal.

    Photo: Esri

  • Trimble Business Center adds GNSS post-processing support

    Trimble has announced version 4.1 of Trimble Business Center office software that enables surveyors and geospatial professionals to simplify the creation of cadastral, GIS, infrastructure inspection and tunneling deliverables.

    With the version 4.1 update, GNSS field data from GIS receivers (including the Trimble Geo 7X) can now be post-processed within Trimble Business Center to achieve high-quality feature locations. This allows enterprise-level organizations the flexibility to integrate both GIS and survey data within the same project environment and then link the high-quality locations directly to their Esri geodatabase.

    Version 4.1 also provides seamless integration with Trimble Access 2018 field software to improve field-to-office productivity using new cloud-based data synchronization and workflow task management capabilities.

    Version 4.1 adds new cadastral capabilities including proportioning, map checking and CAD drafting tools that streamline the creation of survey plans, plots and survey engineering digital deliverables.

    For infrastructure inspection, construction as-built verification and volumetric applications, new projected surface tools enable professionals to analyze and compare data captured in the field against design. Point clouds from the Trimble SX10, Trimble VISION instruments, 3D laser scanners and unmanned aircraft system (UAS) platforms can be used for slope monitoring as well as to perform accurate volumetric, deformation and cut/fill analysis for retaining wall, dams and mining applications.

    A new optional Tunneling Module enables survey and engineering professionals to simplify their workflow and improve productivity to meet time-sensitive deadlines for tunnel construction projects. Tunnel designs can be created and exchanged with Trimble Access field software, enabling customers to easily stakeout tunnel elements in the field and quickly produce as-built analysis and reports in the office.

  • Copernicus Sentinel-3B delivers first images

    News from the European Space Agency

    Less than two weeks after it was launched, the Copernicus Sentinel-3B satellite has delivered its first images of Earth. Exceeding expectations, this first set of images include the sunset over Antarctica, sea ice in the Arctic and a view of northern Europe.

    One of the Copernicus Sentinel-3B’s first images featured Greenland. Captured on May 7, 2018, at 13:20 GMT (15:20 CEST), the image shows sea ice swirled into eddies caused by the wind and ocean currents. The image was taken by the satellite’s ocean and land colour Instrument, which features 21 distinct bands, a resolution of 300 m and a swath width of 1270 km. The instrument can be used to monitor aquatic biological productivity and marine pollution, and over land it can be used to monitor the health of vegetation. (Image: ESA)
    One of the Copernicus Sentinel-3B’s first images featured Greenland. Captured on May 7, 2018, at 13:20 GMT (15:20 CEST), the image shows sea ice swirled into eddies caused by the wind and ocean currents. The image was taken by the satellite’s ocean and land colour Instrument, which features 21 distinct bands, a resolution of 300 m and a swath width of 1270 km. The instrument can be used to monitor aquatic biological productivity and marine pollution, and over land it can be used to monitor the health of vegetation. (Image: ESA)

    The very first image, captured on May 7 at 10:33 GMT (12:33 CEST), shows the transition between day and night over the Weddell Sea in Antarctica. The satellite also captured swirls of sea ice off Greenland on the same day. Another in this first set of images offers a rare cloud-free view of northern Europe.

    They were taken by the satellite’s ocean and land colour instrument, which features 21 distinct bands, a resolution of 300 m and a swath width of 1270 km. The instrument can be used to monitor aquatic biological productivity and marine pollution, and over land it can be used to monitor the health of vegetation.

    Josef Aschbacher, ESA’s Director of Earth Observation Programmes, said, “The launch of Sentinel-3B completed the first batch of Sentinels that we are delivering for Copernicus.

    “We finished the launch and early orbit phase in a record time and we are now getting on with the task of commissioning the satellite for service.

    “These first images from the ocean and land colour instrument already show how the satellite is set to play its role in providing a stream of high-quality environmental data to improve lives, boost the economy and protect our world.”

    The Copernicus Sentinel-3B satellite captured this rare cloud-free view of Northern Europe on May 8, 2018, at 09:33 GMT (11:33 CEST). Features over land and water can been seen clearly such as different types of land cover, snow and also a plume of phytoplankton in the North Sea. The image was taken by the satellite’s ocean and land color Instrument. (Image: ESA)
    The Copernicus Sentinel-3B satellite captured this rare cloud-free view of Northern Europe on May 8, 2018, at 09:33 GMT (11:33 CEST). Features over land and water can been seen clearly such as different types of land cover, snow and also a plume of phytoplankton in the North Sea. The image was taken by the satellite’s ocean and land color Instrument. (Image: ESA)

    The Sentinel-3B satellite lifted off from Russia on 25 April and joins it identical twin, Sentinel-3A, in orbit. This pairing of satellites increases coverage and data delivery for the European Union’s Copernicus environment programme.

    As the workhorse mission for Copernicus, the two satellites carry the same suite of instruments to systematically measure Earth’s oceans, land, ice and atmosphere.

    Over oceans, it measures the temperature, colour and height of the sea surface as well as the thickness of sea ice. These measurements are used, for example, to monitor changes in Earth’s climate and for more hands-on applications such as for monitoring marine pollution.

    Over land, this innovative mission monitors wildfires, maps the way land is used, checks vegetation health and measures the height of rivers and lakes.

    European Commissioner for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs Elzbieta Bienkowska, said, “This new satellite will deliver valuable images of how our oceans and land are changing.

    “This will not only speed up the response to natural disasters, but also create new business opportunities. Earth observation is a larger market than you would think – a driver for research discoveries, a provider of highly skilled jobs and a developer of innovative services and applications.”

    One of the Copernicus Sentinel-3B’s first images featured Greenland. Captured on May 7, 2018, at 13:20 GMT (15:20 CEST), the image shows sea ice swirled into eddies caused by the wind and ocean currents, and was taken by the satellite’s ocean and land color Instrument. (Image: ESA)
    One of the Copernicus Sentinel-3B’s first images featured Greenland. Captured on May 7, 2018, at 13:20 GMT (15:20 CEST), the image shows sea ice swirled into eddies caused by the wind and ocean currents, and was taken by the satellite’s ocean and land color Instrument. (Image: ESA)

    Bruno Berruti, ESA’s Sentinel-3 Project Manager, said, “We are extremely pleased to see these first images, which show that the satellite is in good health.

    “ESA will spend the next five months carefully calibrating the instruments and commissioning the satellite for service before it is handed over to Eumetsat for routine operations.”

    During this commission phase the two Sentinel-3 satellites will be flown in a tandem formation, separated by about 30 seconds.

    Sentinel-3B will then be phased to reach its final position – flying in the same orbit, but adjusted to be separated by 140° with respect to Sentinel-3A.

    Once commissioned, ESA will hand over satellite operations to Eumetsat. It will then be managed jointly, with ESA generating the land products and Eumetsat the marine products for application through the Copernicus services.

    Alain Ratier, Director-General of Eumetsat, added, “The Sentinel-3 constellation establishes the European backbone of a space-based, global ocean-monitoring system.

    “These first images are the first demonstration that Sentinel-3B will deliver on its promise to usher in a new era for operational oceanography and flow-on benefits for human safety, businesses and industry.

    “They will amplify the benefits of the Sentinel 3 mission for ocean forecasting and the blue economy.”

    Sentinel-3B is the seventh Sentinel satellite launched for Copernicus. Each mission carries different state-of-the-art technology to deliver a stream of complementary imagery and data to monitor the environment.