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The ZKI Portfolio

For more than 15 years, earth observation data such as satellite, aerial images and other spatial data have been acquired, analyzed and processed in a user-friendly manner at ZKI - especially for the application areas of emergency mapping and civil security. It is our task to develop innovations and new application scenarios through user-oriented further developments and advice - especially for public authorities.  

Credit: © DLR/ZKI.

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Extent of damage and before and after comparison – Flood Germany – Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler

The ZKI provides data and analyses based on earth observation systems. During the floods in Germany in 2021, data were recorded and analysed by the ZKI using innovative DLR aerial cameras, which processes data in near real-time. 

Credit: © DLR/ZKI.

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ZKI receives high award "German Spaceflight Honorary Pin" from DGLR

ZKI has been honored by the German Aerospace Society (DGLR) with the award of the "German Space Agency Pin of Honor" for its "outstanding achievements in the use of Earth observation data to support crisis management after natural disasters and in humanitarian aid worldwide." https://www.dlr.de/eoc/de/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-17417/27631_read-74312/ 

Credit: © DLR/ZKI.

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ZKI-Operationsroom for mapping

Since 1999, the ZKI-Service did more than 400 activations and trainings in which the output was over 1000 products.
https://activations.zki.dlr.de/en/activations/
 
 

Credit: © DLR/ZKI.

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Picture of the hurricane Florence made by Alexander Gerst for the ZKI-Team out of the ISS

One of the first topics the ZKI dealt with was about food events. Since then there was more research done. Nowadays there is a system for near-real-time monitoring of flooded areas by using fully automated processes based on Sentinel-1 and TerraSAR-X-data. https://www.dlr.de/eoc/en/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-12939/22596_read-51634/
 

Credit: © DLR/ZKI.

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Usage of thermal information for analyzing recent fire sources

The Satellite data of the FireBird-Mission is used for research at DLR and is provided for external partners. The aim of this mission is detecting and measuring high temperature events out of space, like wild fires. The shown map locates the active fires of different dates of the forest fires in California 2018. https://activations.zki.dlr.de/en/activations/items/ACT139.html
 

Credit: © DLR/ZKI.

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Mapping based on very high resolution satellite data

At ZKI satellite data with different spatial resolution is used for extracting crisis information. Especially the combination of very high resolution satellite data and aerial images linked with other geoinformations shown in maps and other products can realize an added value in many applications.
https://www.dlr.de/eoc/en/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-12828/
 

Credit: © DLR/ZKI.

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Combination of different datatypes

For many ZKI-Analysis different kinds of data is used and their results is combined to get the highest information content. One example is the volcanic eruption of the most active Vulcan of South America. There TerraSAR-X-data and Rapid-Eye-images were analyzed.
https://www.dlr.de/eoc/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-12827/22421_read-51610/
 

Credit: © DLR/ZKI.

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The Center for Satellite based Crisis Information (ZKI) is an institution of the German Remote Sensing Data Center (DFD) at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) in Oberpfaffenhofen.

At ZKI Earth Observation data such as satellite or aerial imagery as well as geo data is acquired and analysed in order to generate up-to-date situational awareness information before, during or after a disaster situation or in case of major events. All crisis information is produced according to the ZKI users’ requirements and provided for instance as maps, geo-pdf, web services or text dossiers. Main national and international user groups are political decision makers, situation centers and relief organisations. Many ZKI products are published at the website. In addition, consultancy, technology transfer as well as trainings and exercises are provided. The close interlocking between research, development and service is an enormous strength of the ZKI.

The ZKI cooperates in the national and international context with various partners from research and industry and is closely networked with official partners and non-governmental organisations. It is mainly based on the national framework contract IF-BUND as well as the international services Copernicus EMS and International Charter "Space and Major Disasters".

 

Employees of the German Foreign Office visit ZKI


23 December 2021
On November 15, 2021, experts in the Early Warning Division of the German Federal Foreign Office (PREVIEW) visited DLR to discuss possible cooperation and joint projects on the topics of early crisis detection and crisis indicators.
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Exercise and UAV flight campaign in Ahrtal as part of the AIFER project


22./23. October 2021
On October 22/23, 2021 an exercise and flight campaign with Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) has been coordinated jointly by the Bavarian Red Cross (BRK), Department Rettungsdienst – Sicherheitsforschung and the German Aerospace Center (DLR) – Center for satellite-based crisis information (ZKI) in the Ahrtal region.
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ZKI receives high award “Badge of Honour for German Aerospace” from DGLR


03 September 2021
On April 1, 2004 the German Remote Sensing Data Center founded an innovative service in the Center for Satellite Based Crisis Information (ZKI). Since that time, ZKI has decisively contributed in a variety of ways to the employment and establishment of remote sensing in the sphere of state and public administration in Germany, Europe and internationally. ZKI has now been awarded the “Badge of Honour for German Aerospace” for its “outstanding achievements in the use of earth observation data in support of crisis management after natural disasters and in humanitarian aid globally” by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DGLR).
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Storms and heavy rain cause floods in Western Germany


15 July 2021
Storms and prolonged heavy rain caused numerous floods and associated damage in western Germany. Locations in North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate are particularly affected. Several rivers and streams have burst their banks, roads have been flooded and cellars have been filled. Numerous buildings and infrastructures were destroyed in the course of the storms. Currently, more than 40 people have lost their lives and others are still missing.
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Tornado in South Moravia, Czech Republic


24 June 2021
An unusual strong tornado by European Standards, reaching category F3/F4, passed through the South Moravian region of the Czech Republic on June 24, 2021. The tornado claimed several casualties and more than 200 injuries. Seven villages located between Břeclav and Hodonín were devastated by the destructive winds with speeds between 254 and 332 km/h accompanied by hailstones of above-average size. Besides severe damages to buildings, uprooting trees, overturning cars and damage of power transmission infrastructure were also reported.
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ZKI Cornerstones
IF-Bund
Innovative Remote Sensing for the German Federal Administration
Europe
Participation in the European Copernicus Emergency Management Service
 
Global
DLR membership in the International Charter „Space and Major Disasters"
ISO Certificate
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