Planet Satellite Data + AI Enables the Kingdom of Bahrain to Manage Smart Cities

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune - www.newsofbahrain.com

Report by H Naser

Planet, a leading provider of daily Earth data and insights, has announced a data-sharing collaboration with the Survey and Land Registration Bureau (SLRB) in Bahrain. This partnership aims to enhance urban planning initiatives across the country by leveraging Planet's SkySat satellite imagery.

The collaboration sees the implementation of Aetosky's (formerly known as SkyMap Global) advanced urban planning system. This AI-powered technology integrates high-resolution satellite imagery, offering a cutting-edge approach to modern urban management. The system utilizes imagery covering an area of 850 square kilometers, providing a comprehensive view of Bahrain's landscape.

The system seamlessly integrates high-resolution satellite data with Aetosky's advanced change detection analytics. This capability allows for the monitoring and classification of various changes within the region, including alterations to existing buildings, rooftop alterations, vegetation shifts, and water changes. This innovative approach has significantly enhanced the efficiency of building permit verification activities by municipalities, highlighting the system's profound impact on effective urban planning and management.

"The Kingdom of Bahrain is taking remarkable steps in enabling smart city planning by leveraging the latest satellite data and AI," said Will Marshall, Planet CEO and co-founder. "This collaboration and project demonstrate how governments can adopt intelligent change detection systems to automate their projects, saving time and resources."

Bahrain now receives regular updates every two weeks, facilitating the tracking and analysis of developments, infrastructure changes, and environmental shifts, such as urban green spaces and coastal activities.

The new system, powered by Planet data, incorporates proprietary data cube technology, enabling the indexing and management of spatial and temporal datasets. This technology empowers SLRB to automatically extract and analyze changes across the country, significantly reducing monitoring time, identifying new activities at a national level, and directing resources more cost-effectively.

The implementation of change detection using satellite data in Bahrain marks a significant advancement in smart city planning. By tracking and classifying changes in urban development, infrastructure, and vegetation, the system provides crucial data for urban planners and policymakers. This supports informed decision-making, promotes sustainable growth, improves resource allocation, and enhances city functions. The initiative aligns with smart city principles, contributing to more efficient, resilient, and environmentally friendly urban spaces.

With access to bi-weekly satellite data and ready-to-analyze time-series data management solutions, along with AI-enhanced change detection analysis, SLRB in Bahrain now functions as a central data hub. This hub supports various government departments. By leveraging Planet's SkySat imagery, this collaborative approach addresses environmental monitoring, transportation, and municipal response across the region.