Bengaluru-based space tech company SkyServe announced today that it has successfully achieved Smart Earth Imaging in orbit, marking an important step forward in Earth observation. By uplinking and testing their edge computing software stack STORM on a satellite, SkyServe demonstrated the ability to generate actionable insights from space in a fraction of the time.
In mid-April, SkyServe collaborated with space logistics company D-Orbit to deploy STORM on a SpaceX-launched satellite. Within seconds of capturing imagery over the Egypt-Sinai Peninsula, STORM performed intelligent tasks onboard, including error correction, cloud/water removal, and vegetation identification. The optimised data was then transmitted back to Earth, compressed by 5X.
“We’re essentially creating the iPhone moment for Earth observation,” said Vinay Simha, SkyServe’s Co-founder and CEO. “Just like Smartphones revolutionised data accessibility and user engagement, STORM enables geospatial applications with edge tasking and processing, unlocking vast new use cases from space.”
STORM signifies a paradigm shift beyond traditional Earth observation, empowering satellites to optimise for specific customer applications and deliver near-real-time insights dynamically. “The collaboration with SkyServe facilitates their in-orbit STORM platform and aligns with our mission to provide comprehensive in-orbit services,” noted Viney Jean-Francois Dhiri, D-Orbit’s Head of Business Development.
SkyServe is now leveraging Loft Orbital’s YAM-6 satellite for Mission Denali, showcasing automated tasking and hosting of geospatial models for various use cases. “We can program the satellites to identify wildfires while flying over regions like Australia and monitor water resources over Bengaluru,” explained Vishesh Vatsal, SkyServe’s Co-founder and CTO.
Later this year, SkyServe’s Mission K2 is scheduled to launch aboard ISRO’s PSLV C59. These missions are unlocking a new paradigm of real-time space-based insights by empowering analytics companies with onboard data processing capabilities.
