Public-Private Cooperation in

Estonia in the Space Downstream

Services Development

Tõnis Eerme

Invent Baltics Ltd

Tonis.Eerme@invent.ee

SATFUTURIS, May 2010

Agenda:

• Services used/provided by public sector in Estonia

• Factors hindering/fostering the take-up of space related services in public sector

• Focus on downstream services – earth observation and satellite navigation

Space technologies in public sector:

A special study financed by Enteprise Estonia was carried out in the second half of 2009:

• Nearly 30 in-depth interviews with ministries, government agencies, and companies with shareholders from public sector

• Focus on downstream services – satellite communication, satellite navigation and earth observation

• Present status of downstream services was documented

Overall background:

• Internationally renowned e-state

• EU member state, well integrated with international organizations

• Companies are fast adopters of innovations

• High scientific level of several research groups in the field of remote sensing

Earth observation:

• Most of the sub-markets are in growth or maturing phase

• In some segments double-digit growth (even over 30 % annually)

• Improved availability of high-resolution imagery from various sources

• In Europe – GMES initiative

Earth observation:

Source: Euroconsult

Examples of EO – ARIB:

Development of

inspector’s

operation

system EAGIS

Processing of

satellite images

(ERDAS)

Costs and benefits:

• Annually covered area – 4 satellite images,

each 13 km x 13 km = 676 km2 (free of charge;

EU central procurement)

• Data processing – contract with remote sensing

researchers in Tartu Observatory

• 3 remote sensing specialists in-house

• Measuring field areas 4-6 times cheaper using satellite imagery

Examples of EO – CleanSeaNet:

Border Guard and Environmental Inspectorate use the EMSA oil

pollution identification service. Graphic information is transmitted

from satellite to the nearest ground terminal, where images are

processed and analyzed. In case of a potential pollution, the

images and an alert message is transmitted to the responsible

institution of the member state within 30 minutes of the satellite

over flight.

Border Guard orders images covering Estonian sea (4 images per week on average)Border Guard coordinates satellite over flight schedule with patrol flights, to ensure fast reactions to pollutions uncovered by remote sensing and to identify the offender

Source: Environmental Inspectorate

Impact of the service:

• Impact of remote sensing – intimidating potential

polluters, thus decreasing the probability of

pollution

• Pollution in the Baltic Sea – key eco-risk:

• Second level sea pollution – 10-50 tons of oil products

• Third level seal pollution – more than 50 tons of oil products

• Notorious “Alambra” accident (2000) – 250 tons of

crude oil, cleaning cost 4 million EEK

Common features of the

services:• Access to imagery and methodology – granted

on supranational level

• Value chain – end user or data processing level, limited value adding

• Cost-free imagery = strong (economic) benefits

EO System

Provider

EO System

Operator

Data

Distribution &

Archiving

Data

Processing

Marketing &

Product

Distribution

End User

Raw DataSystem Data Info Product

Downstream servicesUpstream

European level services –

remote sensing of forest fires:•EFFIS - The European Forest Fire

Information System

•Also EUMETSAT Active Fire

Monitoring (FIR) service (resolution

10 km²)

•Estonian Meteorological and

Hydrological Institute (EMHI) – Fire

Hazard Index

•The State Forest Management

Centre tests electronic forest fire

detection system in Vihterpalu since

2007.

Pilots system covers 1750 km² and

costs approximately €0.5 million.

Forest fires:

• Damages property – €1,200-12,000 per hectare

• Costs of rescue missions – large forest fires approximately €1 million

• Environmental damages

• in 2002 – nearly €1.8 million

• 2006 – nearly €1.1 million, 2 large fires of

1800 hectares

Problems with implementing

new public services:• Satellite imagery is considered to be expensive,

although this attitude rarely is backed with cost-

benefit calculations or long-run (strategical) view

• Some applications require reliable time series

and international compatibility

• Benefits are seldom monetary... but money sets

wheels in motion

• Variety of competing(?) technologies –airborne sensing, sensor networks etc

Examples of EO – Port of Tallinn:

• Water monitoring in port of Paldiski

Remote sensing:

Plankton concentration is

derived from MODIS 250m

images based on calibration

algorithms

Modeling:

Measuring and modeling of

currents, modeling of

plankton proliferation

In situ tests:

Water limpidity, chlorophyll,

plankton, etc.

Source: Port of Tallinn

Optimal service

consists of:

Satellite meteorology:

• EUMETSAT – established in 1986 for utilizing meteorological satellites

• July 2006 – EMHI started using EUMETCast services

• December 2006 - EMHI joined EUMETSAT

• Potential commercial users in private sector (TV channels, transport sector etc) already use Scandinavian services

• Estonia remains a net importer (end-user) of services in mature sub-markets of earth observation?

Future perspectives:

• Further development of existing services

• Satellite remote sensing needs to be considered for

environment monitoring and analysis of renewable

energy resources

• NB! access to dedicated R&D funding (so-called PECS projects) is crucial

• Unlocking existing scientific potential – more active

participation in GMES-related European R&D

projects in 2010-2013

Satellite navigation:

• Transport management – land-based, aviation, maritime

• Asset/vehicle tracking/management

• Location-Based Services (LBS)

• Precision farming, precision forestry

• Machine control

Examples of satellite navigation

– Estonian service providers

~80 % ↑ (’07)

: GNSS fixed stations network in

Estonia

Examples of satellite navigation

– Tallinn public transport:• GPS-based announcement of bus stop names

• CIVITAS SMILE (2005-2009)

• Total cost €4.5 million

• EU contribution €2.0 million

• Partner cities: Malmö, Norwich,

Potenza, Suceava

• CIVITAS MIMOSA (2008-2012)

Source: www.tallinn.ee/smile/g6563

Development of public services:

• Real-time information about public transport – low population density hinders economic benefits away from Tallinn or Tartu

• Supervision of implementation of public services (e.g. road maintenance) –institutional problems

• LBS services for applying in tourism sector

More distant future:

• eCall and GIS-112 – activities ongoing

• The feasibility of PAYD (pay-as-you-drive)

car insurance systems needs to be analyzed

• The feasibility of GPS/GSM-based electronic

traffic control system needs to be analyzed.

• Imposing a road tax??

Future services – precision

farming:In Estonia:

• Innovative thinking• Unstable prices of products

• Approximately ten active users

• More common to monitor machinery in

real time: engine

parameters, fuel

consumption etc.

Precision farming/forestry:

• Needs dedicated interdisciplinary research

• Coordinated collection and analysis of variety

of geoinfo both in-situ and from satellites

• Information thus analytical algorithms rather

country-specific � funding on national

level?

• Productivity gains – strong incentives for

adoption and emergence of market?

SWOT (public sector)Strengths Weaknesses

• Overall development of e-government

• Existing ground applications, demonstrating the feasibility of space technologies• Integration with international organization and pan-European initiatives (GMES, Galileo)• High level of satellite remote sensing research• Pro-activeness of entrepreneurs in developing downstream services

• Low and inconsistent financing (for instance in the environment monitoring domain)• Limited human resources for implementing the services• Unclarity about the national coordination of space sector• Low number of market mechanisms (for instance the international waste trade)• The relatively high cost of space technologies compared to alternatives (aero photography)• Low awareness about the possibilities• Overall economic structure

Opportunities Threats

• Access to international funding programmes and dedicated funding• Efficient national coordination• Undiscovered potential in several domains (environment monitoring, renewable energy, forestry, location-based services, public transport services)• The decreasing price of space technologies as a whole thanks to further development

• Technologies will be implemented only through international initiatives, becoming a late adopter• Legal obstacles for some services• Insufficient national funding• Insufficient integration with international organizations and initiatives• Research activities not in line with Estonian needs

Thank you for your attention!

Questions-comments?