About Copernicus

Copernicus is the European Union’s Earth observation programme, looking at our planet and its environment to benefit all European citizens. It offers information services that draw from satellite Earth Observation and in-situ (non-space) data.

The technological evolution, especially in terms of availability and accessibility, has made Copernicus the largest space data provider in the world, currently producing 12 terabytes per day. Hence, the user base is rapidly growing to reach new stakeholders such as businesses, entrepreneurs and citizens worldwide. The mass sharing and use of Copernicus (and earlier GMES) data and information started across a series of heterogeneous platforms while the user carried the burden of download, processing and storage. To facilitate and standardise access to this data, the European Commission funded the deployment of five cloud-based platforms providing centralised access to Copernicus data and information, as well as to processing tools. These platforms are known as the DIAS, or Data and Information Access Services.

AI4Copernicus aims to expand and deepen the integration of AI4EU with the DIAS platforms and drive the evolution, uptake and impact of all involved platforms, especially WEkEO and CREODIAS.

DIAS Platforms

CREODIAS

https://creodias.eu/

CREODIAS is a seamless environment that brings processing to Earth Observation data (EODATA - EO DATA Free Archive) . Our platform contains online most of Copernicus Sentinel satellites data and Services, Envisat and ESA/Landsat data and other EODATA. Its design allows Third Party Users to prototype and build their own value-added services and products. Set of pertinent tools guarantees simplicity, scalability and repeatability of any services’ value chain.

WEKEO

https://wekeo.eu/

WEkEO is the EU's Copernicus DIAS reference service for environmental data, virtual environments for data processing and skilled user support. WEkEO DIAS Service is implemented by EUMETSAT, ECMWF and MERCATOR OCEAN.

MUNDI

https://mundiwebservices.com/

Mundi, the European DIAS is combining simple access to vast amounts of Copernicus and third party data, scalable cloud and big data technologies. Mundi accelerates innovative services based on earth observation data and is enabling the user to deliver a service that is distinctive, reliable, and immediately beneficial.

ONDA

https://www.onda-dias.eu/cms/

ONDA is the name of the Serco Italia S.p.A. led consortium selected to provide the Copernicus Data and Information Access Service (DIAS). Serco Italia S.p.A. has partnered with OVH for the delivery of scalable Cloud services, GAEL Systems for the provision of innovative solutions to support data access and Sinergise for the provision of web-based spatial data applications.

SOBLOO

https://sobloo.eu/

Sobloo aims to develop and provide “one-stop-shop” access to all Copernicus data and value-added services. The cloud portal “sobloo” will enable scientists, businesses and entrepreneurs to create business models and develop software and applications based on Earth Observation Data, supported by Capgemini’s strong understanding of Earth observation based services. The cloud-based operational activities and services “sobloo” was created with the aspiration to improve data access and facilitate data sharing between the companies on the market, including cross-fertilization.

DT SPACE 25 - Earth Observation Projects

The H2020 topic DT-SPACE-25-EO "Big data technologies and Artificial Intelligence for Copernicus” aims to solve the challenge of the increasingly large data volumes produced by the satellite missions of the Copernicus Earth Observation programme. The management and processing of such data volumes require the development of big data technologies and AI methodologies that will increase the performance and automation of processes across the EO data value chain, from access and discovery to integration with other data sources and analysis, to delivery of applications to end-users. The adoption of Big Data and AI in the space industry creates a significant opportunity to innovate, addressing societal and environmental challenges and opening up new markets for the European economy. The projects funded under this topic include DeepCube, CALLISTO, and GEM.

DeepCube

https://deepcube-h2020.eu/

DeepCube leverages advances in the fields of Artificial Intelligence and Semantic Web to unlock the potential of Big Data from Copernicus. Inspired by ESA’s Destination Earth initiative and the Digital Twin Earth concept, DeepCube aims to address problems of high socio-environmental impact and enhance our understanding of Earth’s processes correlated with Climate Change. To achieve this, the project employs novel ICT technologies such as the Earth System Data Cube, the Semantic Cube, the Hopsworks platform, and a state-of-the-art visualisation tool for EO and non-EO data, integrating them into an open interoperable platform that can be deployed in cloud infrastructures, including DIAS environments, and high-performance computing. DeepCube will develop Deep Learning architectures that extend to non-conventional data, apply hybrid modeling for data-driven AI models that respect physical laws, and open up the DL black box with Explainable AI and Causality.

CALLISTO

https://callisto-h2020.eu/

CALLISTO integrates Copernicus data, already indexed in DIAS platforms such as ONDA-DIAS, utilising High Performance Computing infrastructures for enhanced scalability when needed. Complementary distributed sources involve Galileo positioning data, visual content from UAVs, web and social media data, linking them with open geospatial and in-situ sensor data. Artificial Intelligence is applied to extract meaningful knowledge such as concepts, events, 3D-models, and animations of the user community. This knowledge is analysed semantically and analytics are delivered to end users (mainly water utility operators, journalists for the media sector, EU agriculture & CAP policymakers, and security agencies) in non-traditional interfaces, including Augmented Reality & Virtual Reality.

Global Earth Monitor (GEM)

https://www.globalearthmonitor.eu/

The Global Earth Monitor (GEM) project is addressing the challenge of continuous monitoring of large areas in a sustainable cost effective way. The goal of the project is to establish a new disruptive Earth Observation data exploitation model, which will dramatically enhance the exploitation of Copernicus data. Disruptive innovations are planned in the technology and in the methodology domain, where a proprietary concept of Adjustable Data Cubes (a combination of static and dynamic data cubes) will be developed and integrated with EO-oriented open source Machine Learning framework EO-learn. During the project, EO-learn will be upgraded to consume ML technologies from widely accepted ML frameworks and to adapt them to specifics of EO-data interpretation. Modern ML approaches will be combined to construct global, scale-independent interpretation models with special focus on causality and change detection. Technological and methodological innovations will be combined into a unique continuous monitoring process, which will deliver optimal combination of processing/storage costs, enabling continuous monitoring of large areas for just a fraction of current costs. The concept of continuous monitoring will be validated through the development of 5 use cases.

SnapEarth

https://snapearth.eu/

SnapEarth is an EU H2020-funded project that aims to facilitate the access to Earth Observation (EO) data both for EO service creators and for the general public. Today, EO data are freely available in large quantities, however, the main obstacle to their use by the general public is that these data are sometimes hard to access, as they are not currently highlighted by search engines and their retrieval is mainly addressed to experienced professionals. Also, EO service creators face difficulties in handling EO data, due to their vast amount, making thus necessary the use of efficient computing and of highly flexible deployment environments.