| New innovations
“We analyse spectral signatures, which are like fingerprints or DNA. For instance, a healthy oak tree has a different spectral signature than an unhealthy one, a maple tree, subaquatic vegetation, a gas leak, or a hydrocarbon leak.” One of Satelytics’ notable clients is Georgia Power, a U.S.-based utility managing hydroelectric reservoirs. Traditional monitoring methods, which involved physically inspecting vast shorelines, were time- consuming and inefficient. With Satelytics, Georgia Power can now receive daily updates on the state of their reservoirs, identifying issues like unauthorized dock constructions or the growth of invasive species. “We can generate actionable alerts within hours
of satellite data capture, enabling prompt responses to issues,” Almlie said. “This proactive approach is far superior to traditional methods that might reveal problems months later.” Satelytics delivers these alerts and data through a mobile app, a web-based interface, or various APIs. Companies like Georgia Powercan integrate these alerts into their existing workflows. Satelytics’ APIs act as translators, converting data, results, and alerts into a format that different software can seamlessly integrate. This allows the company to directly feed insights into clients existing business systems. This integrationenables them to manage tools, personnel, and resources efficiently, ensuring timely problem resolution and tracking.
For Georgia Power, specifically, monitoring jagged
reservoirs from the shoreline would take weeks or months manually. Using satellite data, Satelytics can quickly identify unauthorized dock installations, monitor the growth of subaquatic vegetation like hydrilla, and address issues impacting water quality and hydroelectric systems. Satelytics has a team of remote sensing specialists whose job is to interpret spectral signatures, then design algorithms to do the same, automatically. “There are existing spectral reference libraries for almost everything,” Almlie explained. “For example, we can identify the spectral signature of a healthy oak tree versus an unhealthy one. Our algorithms compare sensor data against these standard spectral signatures, allowing us to quickly determine if what we see matches our expectations. This process applies to subaquatic vegetation, land movements, and shoreline erosion. “All of our algorithms analyse the same set of data.
We simply activate or deactivate specific algorithms as needed, and we have over 40 algorithms available. One of our core principles is demonstrating to companies that a single set of data can provide multiple answers. By utilising as many algorithms as possible, at little or no additional cost, we help solve various problems across an organisation. This is the significant benefit of geospatial analytics: it no longer addresses a single issue but can resolve multiple issues simultaneously by leveraging existing data in new ways.”
Overcoming challenges Adopting new technology always comes with
challenges. Almlie acknowledged that utilities are often cautious and can be overwhelmed by the volume of data provided. “The biggest challenge we encounter is that utilities often struggle to adopt new technology,” he said. “They tend to be very cautious, so when we deliver more alerts and data than they expected, they
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can feel overwhelmed. They worry about how to handle all the information and their legal obligation to act on it. To address this, we work closely with our customers to ensure we provide manageable amounts of information. We stage the work to fit their workflow processes, ensuring they have enough resources to act on the alerts they receive. This is both our biggest challenge and our greatest opportunity.” Another common scenario, Almlie explained, is when a utility approaches the company with a specific problem or even multiple problems. Once they start working together, they often realize they have additional issues they need help with. Sometimes these new problems require Satelytics to develop new algorithms. In these cases, the company collaborates with the customer to gather field data and test the algorithm, which self-corrects through machine learning. This process, known as ground truthing or calibration, ensures the results are accurate. “We can often achieve 90% accuracy within two or
three data captures. The customer is pleased with the outcome, and we gain a new algorithm, which they helped develop to solve their problem,” Almlie said.
Expanding horizons While Satelytics primary focus has been on energy
sectors, the potential applications of its technology are vast. From environmental impact assessments to
Above: Measure constituents in water, and get a historical perspective, comparing against prior data
Below: Obtain thousands of water chemistry point samples at ppm levels
Bottom: Compare data from different dates for any measurement
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