GMV successfully concluded BIGMIG-DEMO, a co-funded activity supported by ESA Space Solutions through the ESA ARTES Business Applications Space Solutions Program.

The goal of the project was to develop space-based services to support non-governmental organizations, giving them access to geospatial products that provide factual evidence to aid in migration prevention and management as well as to support media outlets, providing them with unbiased, measurable, and independent Earth Observation-based evidence. The service provides bespoke satellite-based analyses to assist investigative and analytical journalists in their reporting activities regarding humanitarian and environmental crises, climate change, anomalous urban developments, or the effects of policy implementation.

In conflict and crisis situations especially, information is often scattered, witnesses are scarce, remote areas are difficult to access, and safety concerns prevent the presence of independent observers. As a result, journalists and international aid organizations find it difficult to monitor the events closely. GMV’s services enable the integration of Earth Observation-derived products with other sources of information such as witness testimonies, photos, and videos. All this information, like pieces of a puzzle, can help them to better understand the scenario under analysis.

After consolidating the needs of the sectors, GMV developed and demonstrated its services by implementing several use cases identified by the project’s anchor users.

During the project, GMV implemented machine learning-based pipelines to produce accurate and large-scale crop type maps and land cover maps (see figure), with the aim of improving farming efficiency and supporting community resilience to forced migration. GMV also mapped the damage to road networks, buildings, and agriculture caused by Cyclone Idai in Mozambique, helping to plan aid delivery in the aftermath of the humanitarian crisis. Statistical analyses and geospatial products showing changes in urban infrastructure were also produced to assist journalists in an investigation. These results will hopefully contribute to the publication of a report on the matter.