We’ve interviewed Dr. Dirk Tiede from PLUS to learn more about his participation in LEONSEGS!

Why did you join this project? What kind of potential did you see in it?

Dirk: Dr. Martin Sudmanns and I lead the EO Analytics research lab at the Department of Geoinformatics, Univ. of Salzburg. Our lab is developing new methods for the handling and analysis of big EO data, ranging from publicly available Copernicus data to commercial VHR data. This has been the focus of our research for several years but as scientists we are always curious. Therefore, we are looking to tackle new challenges and research problems. That is why we joined LEONSEGS, a project that aims to connect academic research and industrial innovation to further the developments in the field of satellite remote sensing. With the increasing quantity and quality of satellite imagery acquired by public and private satellite providers we want to tap into these developments by applying and improving our methods for big EO data handling and analysis. We see a lot of opportunities in an increased uptake of EO data by users in various domains and the benefits of combining multiple datasets for specific applications. LEONSEGS is therefore an interesting project for us because it is situated directly in this area and we are happy to be part of a unique team that includes industry leaders and innovators in the areas of satellite ground segments, satellite imagery provision and communication & outreach.

What is the role of your company in this project?

Dirk: Our research lab has created the unique approach of enabling queries and the analysis of big EO data bases using a semantic EO data cube. This allows us to extract meaningful information from satellite imagery in a more efficient way. In LEONSEGS, we will test and improve our method in a real-world setting, using different types of satellite imagery and showing its potential in prototype applications. We are excited to be part of this project that combines ground segment as a service with scientific innovation.

How will LEONSEGS revolutionize the business landscape for EO data? What will LEONSEGS bring to the table that no other project did before?

Dirk: As academics we are observing how big EO data from Copernicus and commercial missions is becoming more and more important for a plethora of applications, especially in relation to the global challenges we are facing. However, there are many new satellite providers and constellations, which make it hard for potential users to identify well-suited data, at the right time and for the right tasks. LEONSEGS is a project that aims to provide an innovative and integrative ground segment solution that meets the needs of these users, even if they are not EO experts.

Any final thoughts or comments on project expectations?

Dirk: As a research partner we are eager to work together with the technical experts in the field and to stimulate our future research. With the Satellogic data provided within the project context, we will be able to demonstrate the transferability of our semantic EO data cube to VHR data. This will allow semantic queries on unseen timely dense and spatially high resolved satellite data. We hope that the methods we are developing will have an impact and contribute to enabling also non -EO experts to use EO data in relevant application areas.