Copernicus Masters 2018 – DLR finalists confirmed
The German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt; DLR) has selected the best application ideas in the field of Earth observation for the Copernicus Masters. Following a multistage selection process, the three finalists for the DLR Challenge as part of the Copernicus Masters 2018 have now been confirmed.
The Copernicus Masters innovation competition presents awards for applications and ideas that use Copernicus data to address relevant societal and business challenges. Three DLR finalists are now confirmed. Focus: Earth observation, environment and health, Big Data
The international innovation competition is regarded as a driver for entrepreneurs and start-ups in the field of Earth observation and has become the leading platform for forward-looking ideas. The international competition is organised by the Anwendungszentrum Oberpfaffenhofen.
Three DLR finalists
BirdWatch: The intensification and industrialisation of the agricultural sector has led to a dramatic decline in species and biodiversity. BirdWatch uses Copernicus satellite data to monitor and assess the changes in farmland as a habitat for birds. By providing a long time series of finely graded information for all agricultural land in Europe, the direct impact of policy decisions on biodiversity can be better understood.
Hotspot mapper: The digital divide continues to be an issue in many parts of the world, where Earth observation data could help people better understand their environment. In addition to a digital planning system, it is often essential to provide traditional paper maps to explain issues such as disaster preparedness or to plan mitigation strategies. The Hotspot Mapper service automatically generates up-to-date maps based on satellite images that can be printed by the authorities and distributed as required.
Loser Ships: Air pollution caused by the shipping sector is responsible for around 400,000 deaths each year, as well as for asthma in among approximately 14 million children worldwide. This has prompted plans to introduce stricter emission standards for ships from 2020. But at present there are no methods to identify ships that produce particularly high emissions. Now, a system that uses Copernicus Sentinel-5P data has been proposed to identify these ships and hence contribute to improving air quality.
Each year, as part of the Copernicus Masters, DLR selects outstanding applications that link Copernicus data with innovative transport and logistics solutions. The winner will be announced on 4 December 2018 at the European Space Week in Marseille.
AZO Oberpfaffenhofen
The Copernicus Masters is organised by the Anwendungszentrum GmbH Oberpfaffenhofen (AZO). Located at the Special Airport Oberpfaffenhofen, the company offers two years of incubation support for start-ups in the aerospace industry. This initial assistance has helped numerous commercial ventures to position themselves successfully in the marketplace. The Copernicus Masters Earth observation competition has been organised by the Anwendungszentrum GmbH Oberpfaffenhofen since 2011. Each year, it presents awards for innovative and forward-looking ideas and business concepts that exploit Earth observation data from the Copernicus User Uptake for commercial purposes and projects with societal relevance. With over 900 ideas submitted from 70 countries, the competition has become a leading international network for innovative Earth observation applications. The competition is primarily aimed at start-ups and other, primarily small to medium-sized enterprises, as well as researchers and students. The winners will be awarded their prizes during the Copernicus Masters ceremony in November 2018 in Europe.