Rezatec to Invest in Development of Geospatial AI Tree Monitoring Solution for SMEs following ESA Funding Win

Geospatial AI provider Rezatec has accelerated its continued commitment to product research and development with a new project that is co-funded by the European Space Agency (ESA). The company will now develop a digital, cloud-based solution that helps SMEs in the forestry and transmission network sectors to utilize powerful new insights. 

SEEDS (Satellite Earth Observation For Environmental Digital Sales), as the project is known, will create a solution specifically for asset managers and field contractors involved in managing forest and vegetation cover. Rezatec plans to utilize its existing platform and expertise in Geospatial AI to put its complex algorithms for processing satellite data into the hands of smaller companies or local divisions of large organisations on a cost efficient, self-service basis. The product will be available to users on Rezatec’s platform, accessed online via their PC or handheld device. 

This funding will support the latest in a number of projects initiated by Rezatec to develop innovative, ground-breaking asset management solutions. Lucien Wynn, CTO at Rezatec, said: “This funding underpins our dedication to building on our existing technology solutions and finding new ways to help customers manage ground assets and large-scale, critical infrastructure. It also demonstrates we can add value to customers of all sizes in the forestry and transmission network sectors using Geospatial data and our own advanced AI algorithms. With this automated, digital-only, self-service product, smaller forest operations and transmission providers will be able to access valuable satellite data and analytics at a scale and cost that would otherwise be unattainable.”

The SEEDS project will enable users to monitor changing tree parameters using comprehensive satellite data, which in turn helps them save time and money, prioritize resources and make well-informed decisions. Examples include assisting in the management of woodland by identifying pests and potential disease outbreaks or the identification of risks to transmission network infrastructure assets, such as power lines. Existing sources such as ESA Sentinel satellite data will be utilized, making these services affordable to a wider audience. User experience will be designed with both foresters and energy distributors in mind, offering analytics displayed on maps or charts. Users will also be able to easily set up an ‘area of interest’ in the platform, input their own recorded data, and add personalized asset management activity online. 

The fund was awarded to Rezatec as part of ESA’s drive to encourage businesses to develop innovative, commercially viable products that use space data. James Penson, Technical Officer at ESA, added: “ESA Space Solutions are pleased to support the SEEDS project, and I look forward to the development of a service that will provide valuable forestry insights”

ESA receives funding from the UK Space Agency, which was involved in the bid review process and approved the grant which will partially fund SEEDS. Rezatec is contributing 50 per cent of the project cost. The new product will be available to purchase after a development period of approximately 24 months. A pilot phase, involving partners and users from both the forestry and transmission network sectors, is underway.