Planet Labs PBC, a leading provider of daily data and insights about Earth, has announced that their SkySat data has been leveraged by the government of the Kingdom of Bahrain, the Kingdom’s Survey and Land Registration Bureau (SLRB), to enhance urban planning initiatives nationwide. In collaboration with Planet Labs, Aetosky (formerly known as SkyMap Global) has implemented an advanced urban planning system. This turnkey solution integrates AI-enabled change detection technology with Planet’s high-resolution satellite imagery, exemplifying a sophisticated approach to modern urban management.
“This advanced technology marks a significant leap forward, further enhancing our ability to track and manage construction and environmental changes across the Kingdom of Bahrain, with unprecedented efficiency, speed and accuracy. This, in turn, feeds into the development of the country’s smart cities, sustainable agricultural practices and proactive environmental protection”
Leveraging Planet’s SkySat 50cm satellite imagery, Planet partner Aetosky has enabled government authorities in the Kingdom of Bahrain to deploy this comprehensive urban planning system, covering 850sq kilometres. This sophisticated system integrates Planet’s high-resolution satellite data with Aetosky’s advanced Change Detection Analysis capabilities to monitor and categorise various changes in the region, including modifications to existing buildings, rooftop alterations, vegetation shifts and water changes. This innovative approach has led to an increase in effectiveness of building permit validation activities by the municipalities, highlighting the system’s significant impact on efficient urban management and planning.
“The Kingdom of Bahrain is making remarkably innovative strides in enabling smart city planning by leveraging cutting-edge satellite data and AI,” said Will Marshall, CEO and Co-founder of Planet. “This project has demonstrated how governments can embrace smart change detection systems to automate their projects, saving time and resources. We look forward to helping countries across the world to follow suit.”
The government of the Kingdom of Bahrain now receives regular biweekly updates, facilitating the tracking and analysis of developments, infrastructure changes and environmental alterations, such as urban greenspaces and coastline activities. The new system, powered with Planet’s data, incorporates proprietary data cube technology, enabling the cataloguing and management of spatial-temporal datasets. This technology empowers the SLRB to automatically extract and analyse changes across the entire country, significantly reducing monitoring time, identifying new activities on a national scale and directing resources more cost-effectively.
“This advanced technology marks a significant leap forward, further enhancing our ability to track and manage construction and environmental changes across the Kingdom of Bahrain, with unprecedented efficiency, speed and accuracy. This, in turn, feeds into the development of the country’s smart cities, sustainable agricultural practices and proactive environmental protection,” stated H.E Eng. Basim Yacob Alhamer, President of the Survey and Land Registration Bureau. “This collaboration epitomises the Kingdom of Bahrain’s dedication to harnessing the power of cutting-edge technology to propel our nation towards a future defined by sustainable development and intelligent urban planning.”
The implementation of change detection using satellite data in the Kingdom of Bahrain is a significant advancement for smart city planning. By tracking and categorising changes in urban development, infrastructure and vegetation, the system provides essential data for urban planners and policymakers. This supports informed decision-making, promoting sustainable growth, optimising resource allocation and enhancing city functionality. The initiative aligns with smart city principles, contributing to more efficient, resilient and environmentally friendly urban spaces.
With access to Planet’s bi-weekly satellite data, analysis-ready time series data management solutions and AI-enhanced Change Detection Analysis, the Kingdom of Bahrain’s SLRB now serves as a centralised data hub. This hub supports various government departments. Leveraging Planet’s satellite imagery, this collaborative approach addresses environmental monitoring, transportation and municipal response throughout the region.