Creotech Instruments a part of international Earth Observation Project

Creotech Instruments SA, a leading Polish manufacturer of satellite systems and components, and advanced electronics dedicated to quantum computer control systems and other applications, joined the HARMONIA project. The project, led by an international consortium, seeks to develop an integrated tool to support urban areas in managing risks associated with climate change. The tool will help local authorities mitigate the negative effects of climate change on cities and their residents.

The impact of climate change on urban communities is becoming increasing manifest: reduced air quality, flooding, increased greenhouse gas emissions, heat islands and the loss of urban greenery all erode the sense of security of city dwellers and their physical well-being. Europe’s largest metropolises have already recognized the importance of preparing for and counteracting these impacts. Equipped with the right tools to anticipate upcoming changes, they will be able to manage urban development more effectively.

The purpose of the HARMONIA project is to deliver a modular, scalable and multi-layered knowledge base for the observation of urban areas. The resource will offer tangible support for both government and local authorities in their preparation of urban development strategies. The collected and processed data will also support citizens and investors in fostering the economic and infrastructural development of cities. The final platform will integrate urban and climate data currently aggregated by GEOSS (Global Earth Observation System of Systems) systems with other local, regional and global datasets.

“The primary goal underlying this project and its key focus is the sustainable development of cities, including effective protection of the health of their residents, as well as of existing and future ecosystems. A modern approach to urbanization simply cannot do without Earth observation data as it presently is one of the key elements underlying local authorities’ decision-making. Under HARMONIA, in partnership with other entities, we will develop tools that will effectively support the creation of development plans for urban environments. We also want to make sure they are closely aligned to the needs of residents and incorporate solutions that counteract the harmful effects of observed and predicted climate change. We are happy to be a part of such important international projects,” says Jacek Kosiec, President of the Management Board of Creotech Instruments S.A.

Creotech Instruments’ tasks include the adaptation of CREODIAS, an existing satellite data platform, and its integration with the new application. Apart from recent data, the platform also contains data ranging back to the 1970s, which will be helpful in studying and predicting future climate changes. The company will also coordinate the tasks of unmanned aerial vehicles, i.e. drones. The team assigned to the project includes Krzysztof Mysłakowski and Bernard Stępień, Business Development Managers at the Satellite Data Department.

“CREODIAS is a platform that was created together with our partners for the European Space Agency to facilitate and provide wider access to satellite data collected under the European Copernicus program. The solution enables the highly-efficient processing of large data batches without the need for advanced and specialized IT infrastructure. The platform has been available to commercial users for three years now and will now be used to build a system to manage risks related to climate change. It will help local authorities implement appropriate measures or even entire urban development programs that consider forecasted phenomena and thus allow them to protect the health of their residents,’ says Krzysztof Mysłakowski.

Currently, access to satellite data enables effective management in such segments as smart farming and monitoring, and business intelligence. In urban areas, this type of tool can successfully support decision-making processes related to water supply networks, monitoring the effects of fires or landslides in mining regions. We see a huge commercial potential in Earth Observation Services, which is why offering such data through our CREODIAS platform is well-aligned with our development strategy. This is the type of business that Creotech Instruments will gradually grow and expand,” says Jacek Kosiec.

The agreement for the implementation of the project was signed in late May and relevant work is scheduled to commence in the second half of 2021. The consortium of the project consists of companies and scientific institutions from various countries, including Greece, Great Britain, Italy, Sweden, Belgium, Romania and Switzerland with the Politecnico di Milano as the consortium leader.

The project is scheduled for completion in 2025.