Utilis recently initiated their collaboration with VENG, the Argentinian company that brings products and data derived from the Satellites for Observation and Communication (SAOCOM) constellation to customers within the observation and communication markets.
Utilis uses technology in space to support resilience of natural resources on Earth. A staggering 7,200 million gallons of water are saved every year via the Utilis solutions, all accomplished using satellite imagery; however, Utilis could not do it alone. VENG is the only provider designated by the Argentinian space agency, Comisión Nacional de Actividades Espaciales (CONAE), to market the data.
The network of technology that works together allowing Utilis to detect water leaks and create other tools is fascinating even to the non-scientist. CONAE‘s SAOCOM® is a constellation comprised of two, quadruple, polarization L-band, SAR satellites that observe the Earth’s surface night and day, regardless of weather conditions. By working in L-band, the satellite can obtain information by penetrating vegetation cover and soil, thereby capturing moisture information. Other products SAOCOM can generate include ship maps, soil moisture maps and the forecast system for wheat spike fusarium. Utilis is growing its product line through its relationship with VENG.
Utilis is one of the largest commercial users of L-band SAR imagery in the world and the company has the patented ability to detect any soil moisture below ground, bringing to market true, satellite-based, infrastructure intelligence. After purchasing the data, Utilis converts that information into a variety of products, including their first product for leak detection. Utilis then sells the imagery to water agencies.
“At VENG, our mission is to promote the adoption of SAOCOM world-wide. In pursuit of this mission, we market the satellite images and provide interferometry services in-house,” said Adrian Unger, Head of VENG’s Satellite Information Based Solutions Office. “We create strategic alliances for the development of different applications based on satellite information. The SAOCOM Constellation, unique in the market, still has benefits that will be developed through artificial intelligence and data fusion techniques in the most diverse areas of science and industry. To promote this, we have a customer service office dedicated to facilitating access to data.