Guidance

USB SBRI Feasibility Studies - Overview of SBRI Projects

Updated 14 January 2025

1. Overview of Unlocking Space for Business Programme

‘Unlocking Space for Business’ is a UK Space Agency pilot programme launched in October 2023 to support businesses to:

• better understand and prioritise how innovations in satellite data and services, combined with complementary data sources, can drive businesses benefits
• connect with leading data suppliers, aggregators, technology integrators and insight providers
• apply for government funding to support the delivery of benefits from satellite data and services, through pilot projects, data procurement or partnerships

The focus sectors have been financial services and transport and logistics.

What has been on offer for businesses through this programme?

Information Hub: Access to insights on how businesses can unlock value from satellites, with examples of activity from across the world.

• insights and global success stories on how businesses are benefiting from satellite data and services
• information about the programme and opportunities to get involved
• insights provided through events, workshops, learning and development and funding call

Insight and Networking Events: Interactive events that bring together customer and supplier ecosystems to connect and explore business opportunities.

• expert panels and live demonstrations from leading satellite data and service providers
• enhanced connections and collaboration opportunities with suppliers and integrators
• cutting-edge discussions and help shape UK direction on new use cases

Exploration Workshops: Expert perspectives to help your business identify, prioritise, and prepare to further benefit from satellite data and services.

• tailored expert guidance on potential areas where satellite data and services could drive significant impact
• discussions on how sat data can help address key business challenges for your organisation
• identification of business case and delivery plan with cross-functional stakeholders

Learning and Development: Online and in-person learning to enhance business capabilities in buying, integrating, and exploiting satellite data and services.

• access to a range of experts on how to buy and maximise the value of data and services
• online learning materials on the topics of choice
• better understanding of the success factors required for organisation’s journey

Funding Call: Apply for government funding to launch innovative pilots, acquire new data, and start delivering benefits for your organisation.

• funding to support partnerships and projects using satellite data and services
• support to launch pilots and turn opportunities into reality for your business
• brand strengthening opportunities as a leading innovator

Who are the organisations that engaged with the USB programme?

• 350 unique organisations engaged through USB programme initiatives
• 160 or the participating organisations were from ‘non-space’ sectors
• 35 were publicly listed companies
• 27 end-users participated in exploration workshops

2. Maritime trade vessel monitoring – BolgiaTen

Situation

Maritime organisations are required to actively monitor their operations to avoid deceptive shipping practices and mitigate against financial penalties and reputational risks. However, the maritime supply-chain sector struggles with obtaining real-time provenance data and actionable intelligence for regulatory compliance needs.

This is crucial for supporting the increasing demands of sanctions and export control compliance programmes, as well as emerging national environmental, social and governance (ESG) corporate reporting rules.

The proposed solution, the Vessel Transparency Index (VTITM), developed through this feasibility study, aims to enhance transparency and compliance of shipping practices by utilising Earth observation, artificial intelligence and machine learning to monitor and predict potential non-compliance in international waters.

Actions from SBRI Feasibility Study

1. development: the solution was developed using a structured methodology, based on the Information Systems Audit and Control Association’s (ISACA) Capability Maturity Model Integration framework, adapted from the telecoms industry
2. prototyping: initial prototypes were created using existing data handling and analytics processes, with data provided by various industry sources
3. field-testing: the solution was tested in a controlled environment using AWS cloud infrastructure, whilst collaborations with commercial users, including insurers, helped to provide applications and technology validation

Solution from SBRI Feasibility Study

• enhanced data interpretation: proprietary algorithms and machine learning resulted in real-time EO data processing advancement
• proactive enforcement: this integration enabled proactive enforcement and compliance in global insurance
• robust monitoring: combining satellite and terrestrial data created a robust monitoring system, crucial where Automatic Identification System (AIS) data is vulnerable
• cost-effective compliance: AI distinguished in a cost-effective manner between natural AIS non-collection and deceptive practices

Business benefits from SBRI Feasibility Study

• enhanced compliance: helps maritime companies ensure compliance with international sanctions
• risk mitigation: provides financial institutions with accurate risk assessments, enabling better premium calculations
• operational efficiency: improves route planning and operational decision-making, leading to cost savings and sustainability targets
• market differentiation: offers a competitive edge by providing a unique, risk management solution

Other sectors could also benefit from the Vessel Transparency Index:

• environment monitoring: the technology can be adapted for monitoring environmental compliance, such as illegal fishing, pollution or decarbonisation
• logistics and supply chain: the technology allows for enhanced tracking and monitoring capabilities, which can improve supply chain transparency and efficiency in other sectors
• regulatory compliance: the methodologies can also be applied to other industries requiring stringent regulatory compliance, such as finance, media and healthcare

Lessons learnt from SBRI Feasibility Study

• data quality and integration: ensuring high-quality data and effective integration from multiple sources is crucial for accurate analysis and insights
• stakeholder collaboration: engaging with a broad range of stakeholders early in the project helps align the solution with industry needs and regulatory requirements
• scalability: designing solutions with scalability in mind from the outset can facilitate broader adoption and application across different sectors

Next steps and commercialisation plan

1. MVP development: focus on developing a minimum viable product (MVP) tailored for the insurance industry, particularly for tankers
2. pilot testing: collaborate with marine insurance companies to pilot the MVP and gather feedback
3. feature expansion: gradually introduce additional features, such as predictive risk modelling and integrated incident response planning
4. partnership: strengthen partnerships with global marine insurance companies, technology providers, and regulatory bodies
5. market launch: prepare for a broader market release, targeting a wider array of vessels and extending beyond the initial tanker focus
6. user training and support: provide comprehensive training to ensure smooth adoption and effective use of the Vessel Transparency Index

Engagement with USB Programme

BolgiaTen attended all three of the 2024 Networking Events held at the National Oceanography Centre in Southampton and PwC in London. “We found all three events to be very useful and tremendously helpful”.

BolgiaTen also joined a panel discussion at the Supplier Insight Event at Space Park Leicester in October 2024 to provide an overview of their project.

3. AI-powered maritime software application – Craft Prospect and Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd

Situation

Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL) provides valuable information to shipping, customs and fishing authorities for maritime applications such as asset tracking, monitoring of illegal fishing, smuggling, and pollution.

Key challenge in utilising this data is distinguishing between ships and ‘azimuth ambiguities’, which can cause ‘ghost’ ships to appear in the data.

Craft Prospect Ltd (CPL) has built on their existing collaboration with SSTL to develop the PHANTOMS application to meet this challenge, which uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to quickly identify ship objects in a maritime scene and determine real ships from ‘ghost’ ships in NovaSAR ‘Maritime Mode’ data.

Actions from SBRI Feasibility Study

SSTL acted as lead customer to inform use case definition, primary/ secondary applications and requirements specification. The development process included three key milestones:

1. Requirements Review: The PHANTOMS application use cases and requirements were scoped during a kick-off workshop with SSTL. The Requirements Review was held with SSTL to validate:
   • primary and secondary use case definition
   • functional, performance and test requirements
   • high level test scenarios
   • autonomy assurance approach
2. Test Readiness Review: CPL engaged with SSTL again for the Test Readiness Review to:
   • update on progress and direction of the application development
   • assure the generated development and test datasets for the application
   • validate the Test Plan and share the preliminary Test Report
   • workshop the future roadmap for further work and opportunities
3. Final Review: In a final review, CPL delivered a live demonstration of the PHANTOMS application to key stakeholders at SSTL, followed by a Q&A session. The review also provided:
   • the Executive Summary of the activity and key results to SSTL
   • a review of the future technical and commercial roadmap
   • discussion of commercial and teaming agreements

Engagement with USB Programme

Craft Prospect attended each of the online learning and development webinars for the transport and logistics sector.

Business benefits from SBRI Feasibility Study

The PHANTOMS application is novel, offering machine learning (ML) enabled application to automate the detection process and quickly determine “real” from “ghost” ships in NovaSAR ‘Maritime Mode’ data. The solution can be deployed by the various customers of the data within or alongside their own processing systems. This solution also provides user-friendly, assured data products.

• faster ship detection: the application returns the locations of real ships in under 5 minutes, offering a time saving of between 10-20 minutes per scene when compared to visual inspection
• non-destructive: processing carried out by the application is non-destructive, enabling assured decision- making and further analysis
• easier analysis: the application visualises data products from all stages of the processing chain (plus metadata and AIS data points) via interactive filter for ease of analysis
• user-friendly: it is user-friendly and does not require expert knowledge of NovaSAR ‘Maritime Mode’ data to carry out ship and ambiguity detection

Lessons learn from SBRI Feasibility Study

• unavailable data: AIS data is often not available for vessels in open ocean from any source, whether open or commercial
• time lag: AIS data is not a reliable source of ground truth, due to the time lag between AIS capture and main satellite data capture. Ships may not always share regular and accurate location data
• complexity of data: labelling of NovaSAR Maritime Mode data is not straightforward. Expert advice or expertise with the data is required
• dealing with anomalies: handling of coastal area scenes is challenging, as land azimuth anomalies and their interaction with ocean areas (eg, the appearance of a bright land collocated with a bright ship)

Next steps and commercialisation plan

1. Commercial agreement:
   • a value-based approach, focused on quantifiable improvements to the end-user, is proposed for pricing the PHANTOMS application
   • the next step (in discussion) is a limited trial with a customer, comparing PHANTOMS to their existing solution in terms of speed, accuracy, skilled user requirements and confidence
2. Onboarding:
   • future version of the application developed under this activity will be designed for deployment on-board NovaSAR missions, adding value by improving information latency to the ground
   • while raw data captured onboard could not be explored during this activity, data compression was implemented as a secondary measure to reduce the size of data products. This allowed measurement of the impact on the application’s performance and informed the Technical Roadmap created during the activity
   • there are two main avenues for onboarding a future version of the application: it can either run onboard on L1 images or be developed to run directly on raw data

4. Connected Transport Services – Geospatial Ventures

Situation

The performance and requirements of current systems for light-rail on-board connectivity is faced with several challenges, include difficulty monitoring the accurate position of tram movement in real time, immediate detection and response of de-rail events and system redundancy implementation. Addressing these challenges was the cornerstone for defining the Automated Survey, Localisation and Navigation (ASLAN) project system architecture.

The ASLAN project aimed to develop a Proof of Concept (PoC) Technology Readiness Level 3 (TRL3) prototype On-Board Unit (OBU) for transport and logistics applications, utilising satellite connectivity and Position, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) technologies. ASLAN has been specifically configured for the Coventry Very Light Railway (CVLR) urban tram system.

This project focused on achieving high accuracy, precision, and availability for terrestrial transport systems by integrating terrestrial and satellite connectivity and Position, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) technologies, reducing reliance on fixed control infrastructure.

Actions from SBRI Feasibility Study

1. Collaborative Development: Partnered with CVLR, BCIMO, Coventry City Council, Murphy Geospatial Services (MGS) and Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG) to develop and prototype the solution
2. Initial Consultations: Conducted consultations with CCC, MGS and WMG to gather valuable insights into user needs which were then translated into system requirements 3.Prototyping and Trials: Protoyped the system at the University of Nottingham, conducting trials using both standard vehicles and rail mounted vehicles
3. Filed Test: Performed field tests on BCIMO’s rail test track in Dudley, including a 1km tunnel to validate the ASLAN system under challenging conditions and ensure alignment with industry needs

Solution from SBRI Feasibility Study 

• Modular PoC Prototype OBU: developed a PoC OBU with a modular design that integrates Global Navigations Satellite Systems, Inertial Measurement Units (IMU) and Inertial Navigation Systems (INS). This allows for high-precision positioning and navigation in transport applications
• Flexible Plug-and-Play Capabilities: the system included various modules for sensor control, data collection, processing and connectivity, enabling flexible plug-and-play interfaces and optimising different instrument configurations to meet specific user needs
• Hybrid Communication System: Combines satellite and terrestrial communication services to ensure reliable, high-precision positioning through Real-Time Kinematics technology. This ensures continunous connectivity even in areas where terrestrial networks are weak or unavailable

Business benefits from SBRI Feasibility Study 

Enhanced Operational Efficiency and Safety: by improving accuracy, precision and availability in positioning and navigations the ASLAN system reduces reliance on fixed control infrastructure, which is often vulnerable to technical failures and security threats. This leads to increased operational efficiency  and safety for transport systems. 

Cost savings and flexibility: The modular design allows for adaptable use in various sectors beyond rail transport, including autonomous vehicles, logistics, and smart city infrastructure. This flexibility can lead to cost savings as the system can be tailored to meet different operational requirements without extensive modifications. 

Market differentiations and competitive advantage: The advanced integration of satellite and terrestrial communication services positions the ASLAN system as an innovative solution in the market, appealing to end-customers in the transport and logistics sectors. 

Lessons learnt from SBRI Feasibility Study 

Satellite Communication Importance: Satellite communication is crucial for maintaining reliable connectivity where terrestrial networks are weak or unavailable, ensuring continuous data flow in challenging environments. SatComms proved essential for both Real-Time Kinematic (RTK) data transmission and position updates. 

Hybrid Communication Systems: Testing revealed that even in urban environments, terrestrial communication networks may not always meet the demands of RTK transmission or position updates. This highlights the importance of integrating satellite services as a fallback or complementary solution to ensure uninterrupted communication. 

Next steps and commercialisation plan 

1. CPC Clean Futures Accelerator: Secured a place on the Connected Places Catapult (CPC) Clean Futures Cohort 2 Accelerator to potentially install and test prototype systems on various vehicles  
2. Data Collection and Optimisation: use installed systems to gather data and improve the efficiency and performance of battery-powered light rail vehicles and traffic management, moving towards commercialisation with end-customers 

Engagement with USB 

GCL Participated in multiple Networking Events and attended the Supplier Insight Event at Harwell in October 2024. “These events were extremely useful for us and enabled us to engage with a multitude of stakeholders that have subsequently help us to move forward in our business.”

5. Connected Transport Services – GMV

Situation

The feasibility study addressed the challenge of improving the accuracy and reliability of position data for transport and logistics, particularly autonomous transport. The main issue was the need for precise and dependable GNSS data for safety-critical applications like autonomous driving and drone deliveries. The integration of the Ordnance Survey OSNET network with GMV’s PPP corrections service aimed to enhance the precision and reliability of the GMV GSharp® corrections service in the UK.

The project sought to combine satellite GNSS data with terrestrial data from the OSNET network of continuous operating GNSS reference stations. This integration provided an unprecedented density and assurance of GNSS data across the UK, which was previously uneconomical for GMV alone to collect. The combination of these data sources aimed to enhance the accuracy and reliability of the GNSS corrections service.

Actions from SBRI Feasibility Study

1. Setup of GMV Position Engine: Access to OSNET data and integration into GMVSharp® Service
2. Statis Monitoring: Deployed the GMV position Engine across multiple stations throughout the UK to establish a robust testing infrastructure. Conducted static tests to evaluate the baseline performance improvements
3. Testing for Performance: Configured two distinct position engines for dynamic tests along routes: one utilising only the GMV Network and the other incorporating both GMV and OSNET station data
4. Integration and Validation: Successfully integrated OSNET data into the GMV GSharp® service. This step demonstrated significant improvements in achieving high-accuracy GNSS solutions

Solution and business benefits from SBRI Feasibility Study

• Integration of data: Integration of OSNET data into the GMV GSharp® service, resulting in improved positioning accuracy and data integrity for safety-critical environments. This enhanced positioning performance supports the goal of providing a high-value, safe and accurate navigation service for autonomous transport applications.
• Data feeding: Data from GMV’s reference stations and OSNET Network is fed into the GMV GSharp® Datacenter through Casters, improving algorithm performance, and ensures consistent GNSS data quality.
• Network densification and algorithm optimisation: The integration of additional network stations highlights the benefits of network densification and the potential for further algorithm optimisation. This provides new insights into maintaining consistent performance across various scenarios and can lead to spillover benefits for other industries like agriculture and construction.

Lessons learnt from SBRI Feasibility Study

• Importance of integrating multiple data sources: Other organisations exploring the use of satellite data/services can learn the importance of integrating multiple data sources to enhance accuracy and reliability. Organisations can achieve higher quality and more dependable data by leveraging diverse data inputs, which is vital for safety-critical applications.
• Case-by-case analysis: The project highlighted the necessity of case-by-case analysis to determine if high accuracy solutions meet specific user needs. Tailoring solutions ensures that GNSS data is relevant and effective for various applications, improving overall satisfaction.

Next steps and commercialisation plan

1. Further densification of the network: Expand the network by adding more reference stations to improve data accuracy and reliability.

2. Optimisation of algorithms: Refine algorithms to ensure consistent performance across various scenarios and applications.

3. Commercialisation plan: Target Original Equipment Manufacturer and Tier 1 suppliers with the enhanced GMV GSharp® service to support autonomous driving and other safety-critical applications.

Engagement with USB

GMV attended the Networking event for the T&L sector in Manchester as a demonstrator and panellist. GMV also attended the Supplier Insight Event at Space Park Leicester in October 2024.

6. Smart Asset Monitoring – National Oceanography Centre

Situation

PEEL Ports Group, a statutory harbour authority for eight UK ports, is responsible for navigational safety, marine environment protection, and various marine services. In compliance with the Port Marine Safety Code, they must regularly survey and maintain navigable channels, and monitor sea or riverbed changes.

Intertidal topography is highly dynamic due to tidal cycles and meteorological events, making conventional survey techniques like aerial LiDAR and in-situ surveys costly and limited in scope. These constraints hinder a comprehensive understanding of coastal dynamics and the impact of anthropogenic and natural pressures, posing challenges to maintaining safe shipping channels and meeting carbon reduction and operational efficiency goals.

The project aimed to develop innovative, cost-effective methods to enhance the understanding of coastal dynamics. By leveraging satellite data from Copernicus Sentinel 1 and 2, combined with terrestrial observations, the project sought to produce accurate intertidal elevation maps, reduce climate-related risks to port operations and support PEEL Ports in achieving their net-zero ambitions.

Actions from SBRI Feasibility Study

1. Engagement and dialogue: Initiated and maintained ongoing dialogue with PEEL Ports and other potential end-users from the coastal monitoring and flood and coastal erosion risk management community since 2019.

2. Collaboration with CCO: Engaged with the Channel Coastal Observatory (CCO), leveraging their extensive network of coastal monitoring practitioners to refine and validate the method.

3. Application of the tool: Utilised the SBRI funding to collaborate with key partners on the practical application of the tool, focusing on addressing the accuracy of water level inputs.

4. Addressing limitations: Concentrated efforts on improving the accuracy of water level inputs, which are crucial for the precision of the generated outputs.

Solution from SBRI Feasibility Study

• Improved accuracy of water levels: Developed a new approach to resolving spatial variability in tidally influenced water levels, leveraging data from the recently launched SWOT satellite. The accuracy and quality of the outputs from Earth Observation – Temporal Waterline have been significantly improved and the data has been applied to a quantitative assessment of sediment dynamics in the Mersey Estuary.
• Enhanced computational performance: Improved the performance and computational speed of the data processor, making the process of generating intertidal elevation maps more efficient. Quicker data processing and the ability to handle larger datasets, facilitating more frequent and comprehensive coastal monitoring.
• Quantitative assessment of sediment dynamics: Applied the data to a quantitative assessment of sediment dynamics within complex estuarine environments, specifically in the Mersey Estuary. This application provides a deeper understanding of sediment movement and accumulation patterns.

Business benefits from SBRI Feasibility Study

• Enhanced Data Quality: Significant improvements in the accuracy and quality of the outputs from intertidal topography mapping, providing more reliable data for port operations.
• Proactive Maintenance: Growing time series of data allows for insights into natural and anthropogenically driven patterns of movement, enabling proactive, preventative dredging and other maintenance activities.
• Disruptive Vertical Referencing Method: Developed a novel method for accurately establishing vertical referencing of tides and mean sea level, addressing a long-standing issue in the marine and coastal sector.

Next steps and commercialisation plan

1. Publication: Publish the generated datasets, methods statement and two case studies on the CCO website.

2. Scientific development: Further improve the accuracy of spatial variations in water levels by incorporating changes in tidal curve and amplitude.

3. Expansion of TideMorph method: Extend the application of the full TideMorph method to other areas of the UK, leveraging operational data from the SWOT satellite.

4. Funding and operational models: Establish an external steering group to identify funding sources and sustainable operational models for EO-TWL.

Engagement

NOC attended a Networking Event and attended the Supplier Insight Event at Harwell in October 2024.

7. Condition monitoring of climate risks – OneBigCircle

Situation

Increased frequency of climate-related incidents, reduced funding, reduction of the workforce and the high risk of personnel being lineside has identified the need for rail infrastructure to be monitored in a smarter digital way.

One Big Circle (OBC) developed an advanced solution using Machine Learning, Automated Intelligent Video Review (AIVR) and satellite data to identify vegetation hotspots, land movement and flood risks along critical rail infrastructure. OBC will share data outputs and supplier information with Network Rail.

Actions from SBRI Feasibility Study

1. Worked with stakeholders: Ran a number of working groups to help specify, guide and critique output produced by IMS.

2. Produced key documents: Specifications and test reports were created to ensure all stakeholders were aware of intent and project execution.

3. Exploration events: Ongoing exploration events, generating product interest, tool feedback and improvements.

4. Worked with suppliers: Worked with known suppliers to Network Rail such as SatSense and Fathom.

Solution from SBRI Feasibility Study

There were 3 primary use cases identified early on in the project:

• Vegetation encroachment on track and lineside assets: Hyperspectral data will be tested in areas where they have already identified high vegetation impact and will enable the monitoring of canopy coverage, movement and tree species. This aligns with train borne data already being captured that monitors contamination on the railhead during leaf fall season.
• Vegetation monitoring: Earth Observation Imagery data will be tested to identify localised low spots of flood defences which could allow overtopping (i.e. high-risk flood sites). This aligns with data already being captured from static remote cameras strategically installed throughout the network to monitor trackside bodies of water for flood warnings.
• Land movement velocity monitoring: 3D & InSAR Satellite Imagery will be tested in areas that have been subject to land movement or have the characteristics of potential land movement i.e. embankments and cuttings. This aligns with train borne data and geometry data already being collected from in-service and monitoring trains.

Business benefits from SBRI Feasibility Study

• Dynamic presentation of satellite data in AIVR platform: The integration into the AIVR platform enables users to view satellite imagery alongside both up-to-date and historical train footage.
• High stakeholder engagement: Regular workshops with National Rail representatives shaped the project’s development based on user preferences. Expert advice from relevant departments also informed decision-making.
• Land movement use case win/ insight: During land movement analysis, an area with accelerating land shifts was identified and reported to National Rail stakeholders, who confirmed its critical status, validating the pipeline’s effectiveness.

Lessons learnt from SBRI Feasibility Study

This was OBC’s first time working with UKSA, and utilising satellite data for this purpose. Key learnings include:

• Plan for weather: The UK is often cloudy, so allow time when trying to obtain visual imagery. Archival data can be incredibly helpful, and the savings are vast.
• Explore providers: Explore as many providers as possible, as there are so many offerings out there and allowance for this exploratory activity can have massive benefits in the data you receive.
• Partner wisely: Look for partnerships with companies that may already be looking at the data you are after to avoid recreating the wheel and enhance industry collaboration.
• Launch flexibility: Be flexible with launch dates and allow more time on the front end to accommodate for other parties set-up times.
• Financial flexibility: Allow flexibility for the financials as these were slow to set up.

Next steps and commercialisation plan

1. Creation of marketing collateral: Share the one-page overview of the IMS system detailing its functionality with the AIVR platform.

2. Demonstrations of the IMS system: Presented the IMS system at networking events to drive focus with AIVR user groups.

3. Further inSAR exploitation: IMS system will continue through public procurement; introductory talks with Network Rail on future tenders.

4. Further commercialisation: Their technical approach ensures the AIVR platform is ready for any ‘Phase 2’ procurement.

Engagement with USB

OBC attended the Unlocking Satellite-Driven Insights Networking Event for the T&L sector. “A great and highly insightful session.”

8. Climate Risk, resilience and Response – Assimila and Aon

Situation

Concern about the scale and severity of European wildfire occurrence is increasing significantly. As yet however, there are no widely used or accepted European wildfire risk models to assist the understanding wildfire risk, hampering efforts to create appropriate financial solutions.

This project was aimed at assessing the technical and commercial viability of a new Earth observation (EO) service to help insurers, insurance brokers and risk managers understand the scale and severity of European wildfires. Assimila worked with Aon to help them understand how European wildfires may affect their portfolio of insurance coverage.

Insights are delivered through a combination of both historical and near-real time satellite data with climate data. These are processed through sophisticated algorithms that integrate the data to enable a view of wildfire hazards.

Actions from SBRI Feasibility Study

1. In-person workshops: Understanding Aon’s requirements was a crucial first step in the development of a solution. This was achieved through an in-person workshop and follow up discussions attended by representatives of key user groups.

2. Hackathon: Once a prototype data product had been developed by Assimila, an in-person ‘hackathon’, where Aon could interact with the prototype data products, was held, helping to hone the product development to meet Aon’s key business requirements.

3. Final project meeting: A final project meeting was held to assess the project solution and ensure that a follow-up action plan was in place.

Solutions and business benefits from SBRI Feasibility Study

• Wildfire Hazard Index: The primary proposition was the development of a wildfire hazard index, integrating a variety of historic and near-real-time earth observation data. This index provides valuable, actionable insights tailored for finance and insurance stakeholders.
• Usable Outputs: The service delivers outputs that are directly relevant and useful for finance and insurance stakeholders. This helps these stakeholders make informed decisions regarding risk management, pricing, and investment.
• Detailed fire dynamics data: The secondary proposition offers a package of detailed fire dynamics data. This allows clients to assess risk exposure for existing insurance portfolios, enabling more accurate risk assessment and potentially more effective mitigation strategies.

Lessons learnt from SBRI Feasibility Study

• Alignment with commercial needs: Ensure that the proposed service addresses the specific challenges and pain points of the commercial organisation by conducting thorough research and detailed discussions.
• Understanding service requirements: Spend time thoroughly gathering and documenting service requirements with the commercial organisation, including current and future needs. Engage key stakeholders early and regularly review the requirements to ensure a shared understanding.

Next steps and commercialisation plan

1. Continue development: Continue development of the prototype wildfire data products in partnership with Aon.

2. Explore utilisation: Explore the best utilisation of a service.

3. Identify routes: Identification of effective routes to commercialisation.

Engagement with USB

Assimila attended the ‘Unlocking Satellite-Driven Insights’ event for the T&L sector, where they spoke about the WISE project as part of a panel discussion. They also participated as a panellist at the Supplier Event in Harwell in October 2024.

10. Sustainable Business and Compliance – EOLAS

Situation

Satellite data combined with AI technologies has immense potential for mapping and assessing the natural world, predicting environmental risks, monitoring changes, and designing mitigation measures. Despite advancements in these capabilities, these technologies are currently underutilised across sectors, leading to critical limitations in sector development and service adoption. This issue is notable in financial services, where interest in sustainable investments is rising, but the use of space data remains limited.

This project demonstrated a highly novel methodology for reducing costs in planning and risk assessment of new natural assets. This allowed for rapid assessment of projects aimed at the creation of carbon or biodiversity credits / units. The project provided an end-to-end demonstration of ground-based validation of AI mapping data generated on board satellites. The intention is to reduce the overall field effort associated with these projects by providing pre-processed mapping for verification.

Actions from SBRI Feasibility Study

1. Technology integration: Integration of ongoing developments at the partner organisations.

2. Use case definition: Definition of a use case for demonstration; Woodland existing stock and opportunity mapping was selected, due to market demand driven by carbon credit generation and the established forestry sector.

3. Field test: Completion of a field test, which involved several key steps: end to end process of a desk-based order, tasking and classifying satellite data, and validating this satellite data through field teams using a mobile application.

Solutions and business benefits from SBRI Feasibility Study

• Demonstration video: The project output was a demonstration video utilised for wider engagement targeted towards finance sector supply chain.
• Web based mapping tools: Web-based mapping tools and mobile applications were used to reduce the field effort by 50%, therefore reducing cost associated with survey activity.
• Enhanced capabilities: Enhanced capabilities for environmental consultancy through advanced mapping tools, and potential for real-time satellite tasking via mobile applications.

Next steps and commercialisation plan

• Customer demonstrations: Continue showcasing services and gathering market feedback through launch of Beta versions.
• Commercialisation: The web mapping elements of the project will be commercialised.
• Further development: Field based satellite tasking and field delivery may require further development to implement on orbit.

Engagement with USB

EOLAS attended several USB Networking Events for the FS sector.

“The USB Networking Events have led to follow on projects partnering with organisations operating within the sector.”

11. Combining EO and PNT for Financial Services – Ordnance Survey

Situation

The project aims to help address the disconnect between financial institutions and asset location by integrating geospatial data with EO insights to create a unified system. It involves understanding how geospatial, Earth Observation (EO), and Position, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) data can help to evaluate vulnerability of assets for agriculture, utilities, manufacturing and property portfolio management. The project aims to analyse and communicate climate-related risks to national infrastructure and property investments

The precise and comprehensive location data will help to facilitate more informed investment decisions, particularly in sustainability and biodiversity net gain The overall ambition of the project is to deliver on ROI for the UK space ecosystem and downstream services, driving societal impact and environmental protection through the appropriate use and access to EO derived data.

Actions from SBRI Feasibility Study

1. Workshops: Discovery activities and a series of workshops investigated the core challenges that the finance sector face, with engagements held across both User and System Integrator groups.

2. Use case selection: A selection of use cases were then scoped based on the key themes identified; 2 use cases were then prioritised and developed into sample products.

3. Stakeholder feedback: Collaborated with FS stakeholders throughout this process, in the selection of use cases to develop, as well as testing the outputs of their propositions ahead of shaping the final outputs and reports.

Solutions from SBRI Feasibility Study

• Proof of concepts: The delivery of two Proof of Concept (POC) propositions, complete with data models for asset location, including details user journeys and case reports which guide strategic planning and improved decision- making processes.
• Infrastructure analysis: Combined geospatial data with historical EO data (land surface temperature, flooding etc.) to assess climate vulnerability of railway infrastructure. Derived flooding and heat exposure probability scores to identify vulnerable areas.
• Property investment analysis: Integrated geospatial data with EO-derived land surface temperature measurements and ownership data to produce an impact score for heat events affecting properties owned by housing associations in London.

Business benefits from SBRI Feasibility Study

• Enhanced Infrastructure and Property Resilience: Clear identification of infrastructure vulnerabilities to climate risks, aiding value-at-risk calculations. Identifies properties meeting or failing EPC ratings, highlighting investment opportunities for improvement. Enables value-at-risk calculation across the property portfolio.
• Property investments: Ability to assess the impact of weather events on revenue. Enhanced decision-making on investment in protective infrastructure, maximizing impact and returns. Facilitates progress measurement against transition plans using objective data.
• EO data integration and corporate transparency: Enhances corporate disclosure and supply chain transparency. Translates the value of space data into financial services language, delivering actionable insights. Provides measurable results to meet ESG challenges, optimizing AI use while reducing bias.

Lessons learnt from SBRI Feasibility Study

• Engage with external stakeholders: Engaging with external stakeholders at both the C-Suite and technical levels is essential for a comprehensive understanding of sector pain points.
• Leveraging external SMEs: Leveraging an external SME for new market discovery is critical for accurately translating customer language.
• Sample products: When testing propositions, if feasible, provide sample products to users in a sandbox environment to gather the most effective feedback.

Next steps and commercialisation plan

1. Creating insights: Investing in creating insights to add depth to OS foundational data​.

2. National repository: Supporting the creation of a national repository for expertly and crowd sourced ground truth data for creating ML training data chips​.

3. Asset identification registry: Creation of a verified Asset Identification Registry​.

4. Support standardisation: Support the standardisation of EO data and metadata.

Engagement with USB

Ordnance Survey attended the USB Supplier Insight Event in Harwell in October 2024.

12. Measuring and monitoring biodiversity – SafeEarthSolutions

Situation

The UK government has introduced a market-based approach for new developments, requiring planning permission to deliver Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) from the beginning of 2024.

Developers are required to measure total biodiversity on their site, calculate the loss of biodiversity created by their development, and then to put in place a plan to restore the loss plus add 10% above the original total. The options include purchasing gains from offsite schemes over a 30-year period.

SafeEarthSolutions sought to use earth observation data and create a solution that could quantify, verify and validate biodiversity claims at scale to increase trust in the market.

SafeEarthSolutions used machine learning to develop an algorithm that identifies BNG habitats from drone and satellite imagery. This algorithm incorporates the most comprehensive and complex biodiversity metric to be developed. Quantifying biodiversity from image data using this metric is a unique approach.

Actions from SBRI Feasibility Study

1. Workshops: Organised and facilitated 3 workshops with potential customer groups, gaining clarity on the use cases for the prototype.

2. Market opportunities: Better understood the market opportunities and uncertainties, helping to connect with parties interested in using the tool.

3. Market feedback: Early results from the prototype were shown to contacts in the insurance and green bond space from which feedback was received on market readiness.

Business benefits from SBRI Feasibility Study

• Remote monitoring, validation and verification: Clear understanding amongst end-users of the potential benefit of remote monitoring, validation and verification. The scope of the capabilities offered end-users to think about how best to incorporate this new source of information in their development and deployment of finance products.
• Potential benefit to standardise market: The algorithm has a potential benefit to standardise varying expert perspectives regarding the classification of habitats that will help in consistency in the market, which they are exploring.
• To increase trust in UK Biodiversity market: Within the tool, a ‘confidence rating’ has also been developed, that shares the accuracy of the outputted data. This gives the customer a level of transparency about their tool and keeps accountability as a product that hopes to increase the trust in the UK biodiversity market.

Broader business benefits

Other sectors could also benefit from use this solutions for quantifying biodiversity in their organisation:

• Financial services: Received offers of collaboration to develop finance products and further engagement on better iterations of the prototype.
• Global nature restoration: Beyond the England BNG market uses include supporting the validation and verification of global nature restoration. The product, based on the BNG metric, has gained interest with parties such as the World Bank and Government of India.
• Remote sensing: Attracted interest from the academic remote sensing community for applications in agriculture and developing increasing ranges of remote sensing tech which will have implications for both future potential satellite technology and IoT comms with satellites.

Lessons learnt from SBRI Feasibility Study

• Clarity of capability limits: Be clear about the limitations of satellite data and recognise that, at times, achieving objectives may require collaborating with clients on issues not directly related to satellite data. For instance, in the finance sector, when supporting loans tied to environmental initiatives, it is essential to demonstrate how these loans will impact net interest margins, compliance terms, and risk metrics.
• Biodiversity market limitations: Workshops and one-to-one engagements concluded there remain many shortcomings in the biodiversity market, particularly its long-term efficacy and enforceability. These issues have been highlighted by the Green Finance Institute in their upcoming guidance for the government’s forthcoming review of BNG processes.

Next steps and commercialisation plan

1. Further develop with key feedback: The developed tool still has significant work to deploy across customers. There was clear interest to further develop the product with key feedback received regarding imperfect results produced.

2. Commercialisation plan: Implementing a commercialisation plan targeting several customer segments while building internal capability to scale flexibly. This approach is designed to meet both the pace and challenges of emerging opportunities. Markets of interest include Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) in England, the EU market for nature restoration, and the broader finance for restoration space.

3. Follow-on UKSA grant: Safe Earth Solutions secured a follow-on grant through the USB programme to support the development of financial products and revenue, with a focus on the wider finance for restoration space.

Engagement with USB

SafeEarthSolutions attended a Networking Event, where they connected with a key contact in the insurance market. This initial meeting has since evolved into a key partnership. SafeEarthSolutions have described this as a “true unlocking space for the finance sector win”.

13. Nature insights for banks and asset managers – Space Intelligence

Situation

Increased investment in nature is required to mitigate the dual climate and biodiversity crisis. However, as nature is an emerging asset class, it lacks data and analytics support compared to more traditional asset classes. This hinders investment in nature-based solutions (NbS), like forest and peatland carbon projects.

This project aimed to solve this data challenge through an Unlocking Space for Business Feasibility Study for nature investors, developing the required high quality nature data and insights at scale, to help identify investment opportunities, conduct due diligence and meet risk reporting requirements.

Insights include historical land use change and carbon potential.

Actions from SBRI Feasibility Study

1. Kick-off: Completed a short market research study to better understand investor’s current experiences and challenges around nature investment, due diligence and asset monitoring.

2. Engagement: Engaged with key market players to identify user requirements and existing market gaps for products to address the main challenges. During this phase, Space Intelligence interacted with 6 financial institutions, 3 asset managers, 4 consultancies and 1 insurer.

3. Development: After identifying the main challenges in the nature investment process, ~3 months was spent developing new algorithms (or refining existing ones) to produce high-quality, accurate, and timely nature mapping data at scale.

4. Testing: ~1 month testing the new mapping processes on both internal and live client projects. Clients were impressed with the high quality data, insights and reduced delivery timeframe.

Solutions and business benefits from SBRI Feasibility Study

• Enhanced process for nature investment due diligence: The developed solution comprises novel algorithms that automate, or significantly enhance, the efficiency of producing and scaling data to support nature investment due diligence.
• Enhanced insights to help de-risk investments in nature: These datasets will feed into insights reports, providing essential nature data (e.g., historical deforestation, present-day land cover, and biomass) and insights (e.g., project site suitability) to help de-risk investments.
• Organisations can invest in nature-based solutions confidently and at scale: This will enable NbS investors to proceed with confidence and at scale, accelerating nature investments necessary to meet global climate and biodiversity targets, as well as individual net-zero goals.

Other sectors could also benefit from the timely production of high quality, accurate nature mapping data:

• Mining sector: Use of data and derived insights by mining sectors to identify, plan and monitor reclamation areas post-mining.
• Construction sector: Use of data by construction sector to ensure new developments meet sustainability requirements (e.g., zero deforestation, biodiversity net gain).]

Lessons learnt from SBRI Feasibility Study

• Market research: A key part of the project was the initial market research study and gap analysis, which allowed them to target their product development to the exact specifications required by their potential end-users.
• Take time to understand: An important part of the process was understanding market requirements and engaging with end-users early in the development process, especially when using unfamiliar datasets or technology for the targeted sector.

Next steps and commercialisation plan

1. Marketing strategy and relevant party engagement: Immediate next steps involve developing a comprehensive marketing strategy and commercial outreach campaign to inform existing and potential clients about their new NbS insights product offering. In the coming months, to continue to engage with relevant stakeholders at networking events and major industry conferences, such as CE-EM’s Corporate Investments into Forestry & Biodiversity Summit and Carbon Forward London.

2. Continuous improvement: On the technical side, Space Intelligence will continue to enhance mapping algorithms to increase efficiency and support new product development.

Engagement with USB

Space Intelligence attended a Networking Event for the FS sector in April 2024. Space Intelligence also spoke on a panel with other USB programme members to discuss the project and the wider use of satellite data to support the Financial Services sector.

14. Due diligence of vegetated natural capital assets – Treeconomy

Situation

There is an enormous funding requirement to support biodiverse nature restoration and carbon removal projects, and for the first time these projects are ready for institutional investment. However, whilst there are billions of dollars being raised by asset managers to invest into natural capital projects, these asset managers lack the technical expertise to conduct standardised due diligence across multiple projects or multiple geographies.

The solution developed by Treeconomy was designed to support asset managers investing into this emerging asset class by building a remote sensing-based tool for due diligence of prospective investments.

Treeconomy developed tools and assessments using remote sensing satellite data to provide rapid results, including combining both remotely sensed and ground data to develop a predictive carbon removal impact curve.

Actions from SBRI Feasibility Study

1. Testing and feedback collection: Treeconomy tested the solution with a number of beta-tester asset manager users through the SBRI programme, gaining useful feedback of the required tooling and the wider due diligence process.

2. Defining use cases: The feedback helped Treeconomy to define the start and end use for the tool in its first phase. This step ensured that they were efficient with their development and build time.

3. Development: The due diligence tool was then developed and build for asset managers seeking to invest into UK afforestation projects. The tool was constrained to a certain project type and geography based on user feedback and immediate use-cases.

Solutions and business benefits from SBRI Feasibility Study

• Speeds up rate of finance deployment: By removing the due diligence blocker, the developed due diligence tool accelerates the rate of finance being deployed into natural capital projects that support nature restoration and carbon removal.
• Standardised due diligence across geographies: Asset managers can now conduct consistent and reliable due diligence in different geographies using the tool, ensuring a uniform approach across various investments.
• Organisations can invest in natural capital confidently and at scale: This will enable asset managers to proceed with confidence and at scale, necessary to meet global climate targets and support biodiverse nature restoration and carbon removal projects.

Lessons learnt from SBRI Feasibility Study

• Focus early and consistently on customer use of tools: The most difficult and uncertain aspects of the project were not building the technical tool itself but defining the customer engagement process and target market with them. A key part of the project was engaging with customers from the beginning, which ensured the tool met their needs and expectations.
• Constraining the tool’s initial use case can be advantageous: By deliberately limiting the tool to specific project types and geographies based on user feedback, the team could deliver a more focused and effective solution. This approach helped create a tool that provided immediate value and met the needs of the users.

Next steps and commercialisation plan

1. Rollout to emerging portfolios: The developed tool still has significant work to deploy across customers. There was clear interest to further develop the product with key feedback received regarding imperfect results produced.

2. Expand the tool to support additional project types: Enhance the tool’s capabilities to conduct due diligence for a wider variety of natural capital investments, thereby increasing its utility for investors.

3. Extend the tool’s geographical reach: Build upon the recent upgrade to support jurisdictions beyond the UK, making the tool applicable to a global market and enabling international investments in nature restoration projects.

Engagement with USB

Treeconomy engaged with USB through the in-person networking events. “The networking events were very valuable for the project”