Rafal Modrzewski

It has been one week since our Team Tumbleweed presentation with Tim Holthuijsen and Marcus Dyhr about a comprehensive navigation algorithm for planets like Mars, was well received at the KGK2024 - VIIth Space Resources Conference.      There is no Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) on other planets yet, so our team is working on a extremely low Size, Weight and Power (SWaP) navigation solution which does not require GNSS.   Some of the posts relating to our future navigation work as well as relay satellites are below:   Using simpler Navigation algorithms compared to today’s big data ML inspired by Nature: https://lnkd.in/gNRtgMRf Quantum Positioning Systems: The Future of Navigation on our Planet and Beyond https://lnkd.in/giWjsqD2 Navigating without GNSS: The Role of Relay Satellites and Quantum-Classical Sensor Fusion https://lnkd.in/gnBHSBVW Using Ultra-Wideband (UWB) Payload for Precision Positioning https://lnkd.in/gYgqTdvw Transmission of data back to Earth poses a significant challenge due to the vast distances involved and the limited power of the rovers’ collecting data on the surface of another planet. The Vital Role of Mars Relay Satellites in Navigation and Data Transmission https://lnkd.in/gjP2SDYB Data Relay from the Moon https://lnkd.in/gDyp4sGH Deep Space Optical Communications Demo Transmits Data Over 225 Million km https://lnkd.in/gRp7anam  

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📜 I am delighted to announce, that on the 12th of June, I will defend my Ph.D. thesis:  The Regulation of Space Traffic - An investigation of regulatory frameworks for orbital traffic rules in low Earth orbit Why is this interesting, you might ask - well: 🚦 Traffic is surging in outer space. Low Earth orbit, where the vast majority of new satellites are placed, is rapidly transforming into a busy, congested and hazardous traffic domain. The massive expansion in scope and quantity of human space activities is elevating the risk of catastrophic collisions between spacecraft in Earth’s orbital highways, threatening the space environment, astronauts and space-based infrastructure critical to modern societies. 🛰 💥 Traffic rules are needed to govern and coordinate space traffic - and sooner rather than later. Current geopolitical tensions inspire little hope that states can come together around a treaty-based Space Traffic Management regime - in the short term. My thesis therefore explores alternative paths to frameworks through which transnational, binding rules-of-the-road can be implemented, examining customary international law, transnational private regulation and regional/national legislation as potential regulatory frameworks. 👩‍🎓The thesis has been evaluated by the distinguished scholars; Timo Minssen, Tanja Masson-Zwaan & Alla Pozdnakova - who will also act as opponents in the academic rite of passage marked by the defence. If you, like me, also have an unusual interest in the governance of humanity's traffic in near earth space, please feel free to join 🛰  Time: 12th June at 9AM (DK time) Place: Auditorium 4A.0.69, Njalsgade 76, ground floor, 2300 Copenhagen 👐 All interested parties are welcome at the defence at University of Copenhagen or via Zoom. Read more: https://lnkd.in/dUUnsSFE See you in space! #space #spacelaw #spacepolicy #spacegovernance #spacesustainability

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𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐁𝐞 Dataset is out! 🫐 We introduce 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐁𝐞, an image dataset of wild berries captured in Finnish forests and peatlands using drones. This dataset is a step forward in optimizing berry harvests with advanced imaging techniques, promoting sustainable agricultural practices, and supporting local economies. Some 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐁𝐞 facts: 🍓 Comprehensive Coverage: 3,516 images with 18,336 annotated bounding boxes featuring bilberries, cloudberries, lingonberries, and crowberries. 🌲 Challenging Conditions: Captured under severe light variations and cluttered environments, perfect for testing and improving object detection algorithms. 📈 Economic & Nutritional Impact: Wild berry picking is a significant activity in Finland, both culturally and economically. With drones and imaging techniques, we can boost yields and ensure the availability of nutritious berries known for their health benefits. 💻 Easy to Use: Integrate 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐁𝐞 into your projects effortlessly. ``` 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘵𝘴 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘭𝘰𝘢𝘥_𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘵 𝘥𝘴 = 𝘭𝘰𝘢𝘥_𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘵("𝘍𝘉𝘒-𝘛𝘦𝘝/𝘞𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘉𝘦") ``` 🔗 Download validation and train split off WildBe Dataset from Hugging Face, it counts 17371 labels. --> https://lnkd.in/dpKubKDE 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐁𝐞 is part of FEROX EU project coordinated by Fondazione Bruno Kessler - FBK. Discover more in the official Ferox website: https://ferox.fbk.eu/. #Dataset #Drones #ObjectDetection #Ferox

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Interesting paper out of the Beijing Institute of Spacecraft System Engineering analyzing an xGEO (termed "hypersynchronous orbit" in the paper) constellation of optical space surveillance satellites to mitigate the solar illumination challenges of viewing objects in the geosynchronous region around local solar soon from ground- and LEO-based optical sensors. Analysis focused on constellation semi-major axes of 50,000 - 60,000 km. (Nothing groundbreaking in terms of new science or noteworthy analysis - just the constellation concept is of interest). Open access paper here: https://bit.ly/450r8ow (resolves to a iopscience.iop.org URL). #xGEO #SpaceDomainAwareness

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Helsinki Metropolitan Area­­: 91% of the population is welcoming the use of drones. VTT, Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd, the largest research and technology centre conducting applied research in Finland with which Nimbus has an established collaboration, continuously progresses in assessing UAV utilization. According recent survey in Helsinki Metropolitan Area­­ “91% of the population is welcoming the use of drones near their homes in emergencies, medical services and transports’’ and people are most concerned about safety and security issues. ( https://lnkd.in/dEv752mD )  The proper respect of airworth full compliences as per regulation EU 2019/945 and EU 2019/947 will contribute to improve UAS safety requirements. UAS manufactures, such as Nimbus ,contribute to establish a safe flight environment, leveraging on technical and technological updates as well as are caring about U-Space progressions. Relevant to address the U-Elcome Project status and implementations ( https://u-elcome.eu/ ) . Nimbus PPL612 PLUS EVO XL

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"In #SAR, a few key metrics define the performance of the system. First, and not surprisingly, resolution is an important measure. Sub-meter resolution is considered a “must have”, but as demonstrated in this article, image interpretation is a function of #spatial #resolution, #NESZ, #speckle, and #radiometric #resolution. ..... Thus, the interpretability of SAR images is determined by a complex mix of resolution, NESZ, and #multi-looking." https://lnkd.in/da8VbPDC

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Navigating without GNSS: The Role of Relay Satellites and Quantum-Classical Sensor Fusion As we set our sights on exploring other planets, reliable navigation systems will be essential for the success of these missions. Without the Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) we rely on here on Earth, we must find alternative solutions for positioning and navigation on other celestial bodies. A technology that shows immense promise for navigation without GNSS, is quantum navigation. Quantum inertial sensors, based on the principles of quantum mechanics, can measure changes in position and velocity with unprecedented accuracy. By using the wave-particle duality of atoms and utilizing interferometry techniques, these sensors can provide extremely precise inertial measurements without the drift and noise associated with classical sensors. This breakthrough in navigation technology has the potential to revolutionize how we navigate in the absence of GNSS. One solution for navigation without GNSS is to use a combination of relay satellites and advanced inertial sensors. A relay satellite in orbit around the planet could provide the initial location fix needed to initialize quantum inertial sensors. These sensors, which measure changes in position and velocity with extraordinary precision, could then take over and provide accurate dead reckoning for surface navigation. The inertial sensors would track the vehicle's movements, enabling accurate positioning even in the absence of continuous satellite coverage. However, quantum inertial sensors have limitations in terms of range and bandwidth. To overcome these limitations, a fusion of classical and quantum sensors can be employed. The quantum-classical sensor fusion technique, developed by Advanced Navigation, uses the classical sensor data to determine the actual point on the quantum sensor output waveform, creating a quantum baseline value. This baseline is then used as part of the data fusion process, which is handled by a sophisticated neural network system that removes noise and errors while combining the data in a meaningful way. https://lnkd.in/dFbrgkwV Implementing such a system would require significant planning and resources, including the development of specialized hardware that can isolate the quantum sensors from environmental disturbances such as magnetic fields, vibrations, and rotations. The hardware also would need to be radiation hardened and miniaturized for space missions. Although this requires considerable investment, the potential benefits are immense, enabling precise navigation without relying continuously on external references. #QuantumSensors #SensorFusion #InertialNavigation #PlanetaryExploration #QuantumTechnology #FutureOfNavigation

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ICEYE, a Helsinki-based company specializing in synthetic aperture radar satellite operations for Earth Observation, has raised $93 million in funding from Finnish fund Solidium Oy. The investment will accelerate the company's development and expansion, enabling it to provide near real-time insights in sectors like insurance, natural catastrophe response, security, maritime monitoring, and finance. AIN shares more details about the company and it’s perspectives below.👇🏻 #news #Finland #spacetech #investments

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Satcube is in Northern Finland this week, for some more testing by the artic circle ❄ ☃. Curious how to get the best possible #satcom connection close to the north pole? Read more in the article in Satellite World by Intelsat below 😊.

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The global military UAV market is experiencing a dynamic transformation, with an estimated $137.8 billion in unawarded contracts. Among the regions leading this charge, Europe has emerged as a significant and strategic market for UAV manufacturers. This development is driven by a combination of geopolitical factors, evolving procurement strategies, and the influence of recent conflicts such as the Russo-Ukrainian war. In North America, the UAV market is heavily concentrated, with $58.5 billion in unawarded spending distributed among just 16.9% of procurement programmes. This means that each programme tends to be large-scale, involving substantial financial commitments and significant production volumes. In contrast, Europe’s forecasted UAV expenditure of $51.1 billion is spread across a much higher concentration of 39.9% of global unawarded programmes. Consequently, the average value of each European UAV programme is less than half that of its North American counterpart.

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Proud of have being part of this breaking technology and method development , with implications for accurate and more cost-efficient blue forest mapping. Even at depth to >10m guide from #drone #imagery! Relevant not least to the HEU projects OBAMA-NEXT Project and C-BLUES EU By NIVA - Norsk institutt for vannforskning & Norsk Regnesentral

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One of the constraints on accelerating the evolution of FPV drones used in the Ukrainian conflict stems from one of their greatest virtues: the use of standard civilian components. Whether it's the use of new frequency bands, video signal scrambling, or especially the employment of Edge AI resources for navigation in GNSS-denied environments or autonomous terminal guidance, most of the main advances of 2023 and 2024 are based on civilian components. The problem lies in that if the adversary manages to obtain a sufficiently intact device, reverse engineering work is facilitated by the use of standard components which, not being general-purpose, are not easy to obfuscate in code. When the adversary completes a reverse engineering task, the result is that they have saved time in developing a similar system or, worse, gained access to a resource they hadn't imagined or that was out of reach due to lacking a critical element. In other words, the frenzied pace of evolution in microdrone components and systems isn't as fast as it could be. On the other hand, the incentive to evolve these systems can be described as a (Alice in Wonderland) Red Queen's race: if one doesn't evolve quickly, falling behind has catastrophic consequences for either side. There's another more worrying scenario: a technologically highly capable adversary. China would be the perfect example, but not the only one. We must not forget that the evolution of microdrones doesn't require enormous and exquisite technological or human resources. Once the possibilities have been demonstrated by example, the incentive to develop these capabilities in a sustained manner is evident. If said adversary spends quarter after quarter on iterative development and concerted responses to different needs, in a relatively short time they can acquire an arsenal: * With completely unprecedented capabilities and without an adequate response from their adversaries. * Oriented towards mass production yet modular and adaptable. * Deployable both massively and sustainably over time. The response to this scenario is frankly difficult. It's not obvious how defensive means can acquire this pace of evolution and adaptability. In all likelihood, data is at the center of this response, but it will possibly require priority and investments far superior to those being employed by who is developing vectors and effectors based on microdrones. All in all, not responding is not an option. Time will pass for everyone, and each party will reap what they sow and at the pace they sow it.

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🌟Happy to be featured by Copernicus ECMWF! 🌟 🗺 Our #AtmoHub dust forecast map, depicting the intense #SaharanDust transport that affected Greece in June, has been selected by Copernicus as one of the top three charts for this month. Explore more on our portal: https://lnkd.in/d5kvmn4U European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts Hellenic Ministry of Environment and Energy Hellenic Ministry of Digital Governance #EarthObservation #EnvironmentalData

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Machine learning and physics in weather forecasting Machine learning (ML) and physics-based approaches are transforming weather forecasting, offering opportunities and challenges to meteorology. Traditionally, numerical weather prediction (NWP) relies on complex physics equations to simulate atmospheric processes. Integrating ML techniques introduces new capabilities and efficiencies that complement these traditional methods. ML algorithms, particularly neural networks trained on extensive historical datasets like ERA5 reanalyses, excel in pattern recognition and can enhance forecast accuracy. They have shown promise in areas such as precipitation forecasting, pattern recognition, and improving temporal and spatial resolution of predictions. By leveraging GPUs for intensive computations, ML models can process data rapidly compared to CPU-dependent NWP models, potentially revolutionizing forecast speed and efficiency. A significant debate surrounding ML in weather forecasting is whether these models merely mimic patterns or truly understand underlying physical processes. While ML models can produce skillful predictions, ensuring they adhere to physical laws remains a critical challenge. Researchers are actively integrating physics principles into ML frameworks to enhance their reliability and interpretability. The operational benefits of ML are evident in its ability to expedite forecasts, crucial for timely decision-making in weather-sensitive industries and disaster preparedness. However, concerns arise regarding potential oversights of intricate atmospheric dynamics that traditional physics-based models meticulously simulate. Ongoing research aims to balance computational efficiency with the fidelity of physical representations in forecasts. Ultimately, the goal is to leverage the strengths of both ML and physics-based NWP. Their synergy could lead to significantly improved predictive capabilities, setting higher standards for forecast accuracy and utility in safeguarding lives and supporting critical economic decisions. This collaborative approach ensures that advancements in ML contribute meaningfully to the ongoing pursuit of innovation in meteorology, maintaining the integrity and credibility of weather predictions. Explore more on machine learning and physics in weather forecasting at https://lnkd.in/g_zMxFFE. #MachineLearning #Physics #WeatherForecasting #Meteorology #DataScience #Innovation #TechnologyIntegration

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SNAP10 version has been released https://lnkd.in/eG8Qw8t8 #sentinel-1 #sar #insar #psinar #remotesensing #imageprocessing #image #satellite #space #information #earthanalysis #korea #425project #radar #imaging #monitoring #pixel #spacex #falcon #insar #gnss #dinsar #psinar #land #deformation #subsidence #landslide #disaster #seismology #data #gmt #gmtsar #processing #tracking #pixel #sar #image #processing #esa #toolbox #SnapToolbox #ProductivityTools #SnapInnovation #EfficiencyEnhanced #DigitalSolutions #TechAdvancement #InnovativeTech #StreamlineWorkflow #TimeSaver #BusinessTools #DigitalTransformation #SmartTools #ProductivityBoost #TechSolutions #WorkflowOptimization #SARImageProcessing #RemoteSensing #SatelliteImagery #SARData #GeospatialAnalysis #EarthObservation #SARTechnology #RadarImaging #DataProcessing #ImageAnalysis #GeospatialData #RemoteSensingTech #SARResearch #SpaceTechnology #DataScience #SARPolarimetry #RemoteSensing #EarthObservation #PolarimetricAnalysis #SARData #PolarimetricImaging #ScienceOfSAR #PolarimetricSensing #GeospatialAnalysis #SARTechnology #PolarimetricRemoteSensing #PolarimetricData #EnvironmentalMonitoring #SARResearch #PolarimetricMapping #SARApplications #PolarimetricScience #SARImagery #PolarimetricAnalysis #RemoteSensingTechnology #SARInterferometry #InterferometricSAR #InSAR #RemoteSensing #EarthObservation #SARData #GeospatialAnalysis #SARTechnology #InSARMonitoring #InterferometricMapping #SARImaging #InSARAnalysis #InSARApplications #Geodesy #InterferometricAnalysis #InSARResearch #SARInterferometricMapping #InSARData #InterferometricMonitoring #SARInterferometricScience #SARImageClassification #RemoteSensing #EarthObservation #SARData #GeospatialAnalysis #SARTechnology #ImageClassification #SARImaging #ClassificationAlgorithms #MachineLearning #DeepLearning #SARClassification #GeospatialClassification #SARImageAnalysis #SARPatternRecognition #SARML #SARAI #SARImageProcessing #SARDataAnalysis #SARClassificationTechniques

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Would be interesting to know where other EU countries stand in terms of the amount and types of permits granted for UAS operations within the Specific Category. Share your thoughts, links, or insights if you have them!

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🚀 Exciting News from UAV Planner! 🚀 Today marks a significant milestone for us at UAV Planner as we officially introduce our innovative UAV management platform to the world! As pioneers in the UAV industry, we're thrilled to bring a solution that integrates advanced flight planning, geographic analysis, and regulatory compliance into a seamless, user-friendly service. 🔹 Why UAV Planner? Our platform is designed to empower commercial UAV operators by simplifying complex operational challenges and ensuring strict adherence to evolving regulations. Whether you're managing a small fleet or a large array of drones, UAV Planner makes it easier, safer, and more efficient. 🔹 What Sets Us Apart? - Comprehensive Management: One-stop solution for all UAV operational needs. - Regulatory Compliance: Stay up-to-date with the latest regulations without hassle. - Enhanced Efficiency: Reduce operational overheads with automated processes. We're on a mission to revolutionize how UAV operations are managed, focusing on safety, compliance, and operational efficiency. 🤝 Join Us On This Journey We invite you to follow our journey, engage with our content, and explore how UAV Planner can transform your UAV operations. Stay tuned for updates, insights, and more as we pave the way for smarter, safer UAV management. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dQWSGbYP

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Given the many surprises in AI’s progress in the past decade (alongside some cases of overoptimism), analysts should more clearly acknowledge and address the critical points of technological uncertainty/dispute before concluding that autonomous military systems (AMS) will favor weaker or wealthier military actors. Check out our latest article by Harrison Durland⤵ https://lnkd.in/e_n-ucu6

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A massive step forward for the UAS industry and Future of Flight, as JARUS official publish SORA v2.5, the world-standard for risk assessment of drone operations. Download the full documentation on the JARUS website here: https://lnkd.in/g5ukDbEv JARUS SORA v2.5 will form the basis of UK SORA, and is one of the Civil Aviation Authority's four pillars for achieving scalable Beyond Visual Line-of-Sight (BVLOS) drone operations: - Remote Pilot Competency - an expanded scheme to ensure pilots are trained and qualified to the required level for complex Ops, delivered through a network of RAEs . - UAS Flightworthiness - replicating the Recognised Assessment Entity (RAE) model used for pilot competency, working with third-party organisations to ensure that UAS are designed and built to the required standards. - Risk Assessment (SORA) - a standardised, consistent approach to risk assessment based on the global best-practice set by JARUS. - Airspace Integration - enabling integration of UAS into shared airspace, through initiatives such as Electronic Conspicuity and Detect & Avoid capabilities. Congratulations to everyone involved in the development of JARUS SORA, and we look forward to the journey ahead that this achievement will enable! #drones #uas #jarus #sora #futureofflight #bvlos

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