MSS AI Study Group Meeting on 17 December 2024

“AI and Satellite Data: Harnessing the power of satellite imagery”, by Ian Pattison, CEO, Neural River

The talk, “AI and Satellite Data: Harnessing the Power of Satellite Imagery,” was a journey into the fascinating world of remote sensing and spatial imagery. It revealed how multi-coloured satellite images are created/built and how they serve as powerful tools for understanding and managing global challenges. We followed our speaker with great interest, from Google Earth Engine to AI-powered classification, to false colour imagery, band ratios, and time-series analysis.

The practical applications showcased were truly inspiring. For climate change, satellite data can monitor deforestation, glaciation, and coastal erosion. In disaster response, it helps detect landslides, floods, and fire damage. Risk assessments benefit from identifying areas prone to drought, fire, and desertification. Sustainable agriculture stands to gain with tools to monitor crop health, optimise water use, assess soil moisture, and predict crop failures.

This talk highlighted how AI and satellite data can transform industries, empower global monitoring, and drive meaningful change.