Our activity lines are:
- Services
- Operations
- Testing, Verification and Validation
- Research Projects and Applications
- Education
1. Services
EarthConsole
EarthConsole is a cloud-based platform comprising a set of support services to assist researchers, innovators and service providers in optimizing the way in which they use Earth Observation data to analyse our planet. EarthConsole is a set of three complementary services: G-BOX (Integrated Algorithm Development and
Execution Environment), I-APP (Application Integration Service) and P-PRO (Parallel Processing Service) with the aim of facilitating Earth Observation data exploitation.
Website: www.earthconsole.eu
EOsuite
EOsuite is a set of services aiming at bridging Earth Observation with non-EO research and business domains. Four are the main services offered:
- Expert Support (feasibility studies, validation, consulting);
- EO services (ad-hoc developments; turn-key solutions; platform independence)
- Partnership (R&D projects, participation to call for bids)
- Training (basic, advanced, customized).
2. Operations
ESA Research and Service Support
Since 2006 we operate the ESA Research and Service Support whose mission is to support scientists, service developers such as SMEs, start-ups and businesses in the space industry, and institutions in exploiting Earth Observation data during the R&D phase. RSS supports its customers in developing and integrating new algorithms, elaborating on-demand processing campaigns and generating and delivering value-added information.
S3 – Mission Performance Centre
The ESA and EUMETSAT Sentinel-3 Mission Performance Centre (S-3 MPC) aims at ensuring the highest quality of products for Sentinel-3 mission. We are part of the Consortium led by ACRI-ST whose aim is control the quality of all generated products, from L0 to L2.
3. Testing, Verification and Validation
ESA Fast Prototyping
From 2014 to 2019 we were involved in the frame contract for social media and mobile applications development for Earth Observation ground segment and mission operations (Fast Prototyping). It aimed at filling the gap between the general public and ESA by promoting its EO missions and emergency and monitoring services, and by highlighting the importance of EO data for the scientific community. The main role of Progressive was to gather the requirements and perform independent testing of the software deliveries released by the industrial consortium.
4. Research Projects and Applications
- Artificial Intelligence and Earth Observation data: innovative methods for monitoring West Nile Disease spread in Italy - AIDEO: we were a partner in the AIDEO project whose aim was to develop an innovative, scalable and accurate process to produce WND risk maps, using EO data and specific AI algorithms.
Website: www.aideo.eu
- Fire and Burnt Areas Detection: we developed a fire detection service to detect fires in near- real time and assess derived burned areas mainly based on Meteosat Second Generation data. It allowed local authorities to warn citizens and monitor the identified fires in sensitive locations.
- Flooded Areas Detection: we are in the position to develop maps based on Synthetic Aperture Radar acquisitions, which indicate the areas affected by the floods to support decision making and disaster response.
- Ship Detection: we set-up a prototype ship detection chain based on SAR observations to support the Italian Coast Guard in increasing the efficiency of its surveillance activities.
- Coastline Detection and Monitoring Tool (CoDeMinT): we developed a tool in support of coastal monitoring projects and activities. The tool enables the non-expert user to extract and analyse shorelines from Landsat and Sentinel-2 imagery. CoDeMinT can be provided as a Jupyter Notebook to allow users to automatically retrieve and download input data, configure the main parameters of the detection algorithm, and quickly visualise the analysis results. The detection algorithm implemented in CoDeMinT is based on Canny Edge method [Canny E. 1986] widely used in many applications. This technique is directly applicable on any type of shoreline regardless of the terrain characteristics (white/dark sand, cliff, rocks, port, …).
5. Education
Earth Observation Data Analysis Lab Programme
In the framework of the Master’s degree in Data Science of the University of Rome La Sapienza and within the RSS service, we are in charge of organizing the Earth Observation Data Analysis – EODA Lab Programme: a three-sessions laboratory providing an overview on the Copernicus Sentinels, the EU’s constellation of satellites specifically dedicated to atmospheric, oceanic and land monitoring. The Lab offers its students the possibility of learning the most important techniques to process data and derive products for information retrieval on atmosphere, land and water.
