The stated objective of the Copernicus earth observation programme of the European Union (EU) is the long-term provision of reliable and timely information based on earth observation data obtained from an independent European system. The Copernicus programme places data and products at the disposal of authorized users free of charge following an open data policy. The subject areas and services shown in the following diagram are addressed in the Copernicus programme:
Subject areas of the key Copernicus services
The Copernicus Security Service currently offers the following portfolio, which meets the needs of German security authorities in these selective areas:
The Copernicus Emergency Management Service (EMS) consists of three modules:
The Copernicus EMS mapping service produces maps based on satellite images for disasters worldwide. The other modules are part of the early-warning component of Copernicus EMS. Between 2006 and 2019 DLR contributed to the development of most of the services listed above and is at present commissioned as part of a consortium to develop by September 2021 an automated system for global flood monitoring based on Sentinel-1 radar satellite data for the Copernicus EMS, and thereafter to routinely provide the derived disaster information products until 2026.