Ecometrica sings up to UK Sprint Programme for International Space Data Project

Ecometrica has signed up to the national SPRINT programme to access expertise from the University of Surrey, one of Britain’s top space research institutions. Edinburgh-based Ecometrica will work in collaboration with SPRINT partner, the University of Surrey, to analyse satellite data for monitoring sustainable development goals and climate resilience.

The project will develop scalable methods to bring together Earth Observation data from different sources (both freely available Sentinel data and commercial products) to monitor vulnerability to, and recovery from natural disasters. This will specifically apply to case studies from flooding in Mexico and natural and man-made events in Brazil.

The University of Surrey’s Centre for Environment & Sustainability (CES) will develop indicators measurable from satellite Earth Observation for disaster resilience to generate proven, scientifically-robust approaches that will be implemented on Ecometrica’s EO Lab platform. The University of Surrey will also work with Ecometrica to develop data applications around a new satellite constellation concept for climate resilience.

Dr Richard Tipper, executive chairman of Ecometrica, said: “We are excited at the possibilities of working with the University of Surrey, both on environmental monitoring and further developments around the resilience constellation. We look forward to a long and fruitful collaboration.”

Professor Richard Murphy - Director, Centre for Environment and Sustainability at the University of Surrey added: “As the world wakes up to the scale and urgency of the sustainability issues we are facing, we are truly delighted to be working in partnership with Ecometrica as a pioneering UK company in this area.

“At CES, we are already researching the use of Earth Observation technology to support the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals and working with Ecometrica through SPRINT is a brilliant opportunity to apply our complementary interests to improve global sustainability and resilience. The University’s wealth of knowledge and history in the satellite industry also provide us with a wonderful additional asset for this new partnership.”

The £4.8 million SPRINT (SPace Research and Innovation Network for Technology) programme provides unprecedented access to university space expertise and facilities to help businesses develop new commercial products for space and other key sectors.

SPRINT is supported by Research England and the Scottish Funding Council. It is being delivered by a consortium of five of the UK’s leading space universities, led by the University of Leicester and including the University of Edinburgh, The Open University, University of Southampton and University of Surrey.