The speakers at the IF-BUND session of the National Forum 2022
A framework agreement has been concluded between the German Aerospace Center and the Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community (BMI), “IF-BUND - Innovative Remote Sensing for the Federal Administration”, for the period 2021-2024. Its goal is the methodical transfer of remote sensing science expertise to public authorities. Implementing user-oriented developments in the field of remote sensing, such as innovation and pilot projects, is one of the key components of IF-BUND.
The first innovation projects have now been successfully launched after many ideas were discussed by DLR and various federal authorities. The first three developments are described below and were also introduced at the National Forum for Remote Sensing and Copernicus.
Remote sensing data and artificial intelligence for the register census (SAT4GWR_IF-Bund)
Deriving various building types using AI methodology. Left to right; original image, blue: all buildings, pink: annexes, yellow: garden sheds, lilac: terraced houses (from the Sat4GWR project) ©DLR
In the course of conceiving the register census, the Federal Statistical Office (StBA) is analysing the extent to which new digital data can in the future augment the census findings. In the IF-BUND innovation project “Sat4GWR_IF-BUND – Remote Sensing and AI for the Register Census”, algorithms are to be developed that are capable of identifying buildings and housing types in satellite and aerial images as well as deriving selected characteristics. The remote sensing results should confirm the plausibility of the building data derived from the building and housing register (GWR). The expected benefit for the register census is an augmentation of the processes envisaged so far for the configuration and maintenance of the GWR, and thereby a considerable improvement in the quality of the building data in the GWR or in the register census. This joint project of StBA and BKG was launched in October 2021 and is planned to run to December 2024.
Data management system for mass data and AI applications for BKG (DatKI4BKG)
Support for drawing up a land cover model for Germany (LBM-DE) using AI methodology (from the DatKI4BKG project) ©DLR/BKG
In the project “DatKI4BKG – Design of a Data Management System (DMS) and Development of an AI-based Remote Sensing Methodology for BKG applications”, BKG and DLR are designing for BKG remote sensing data systems for mass data and adapting AI research applications for use in administrative practice. This project was launched in October 2021 and will run to April 2024.
DLR will be primarily involved in two aspects: (1) designing and setting up a data management system (DMS) for remote sensing data in the form of data cubes, and (2) developing and implementing AI-based methodologies with a focus on conributing to the generation of a land cover model (LBM-DE).
New approach for distinguishing urban and rural areas (Fe4ErsiGG)
Satellite image derived from Sentinel-2 sensor data showing Dresden and its immediat surroundings with various demarcations (red: administrative border, blue: buffer around the city centre, yellow: urban morphology; from the FE4ErSiGG project) © DLR, ESA
Realistic demarcation of settlement structures like urban areas, conurbations, suburbs, and rural areas based on space utilization patterns such as building and settlement densities determined with remote sensing methodologies – that is the goal of the IF-BUND innovation project “Remote Sensing for Determining the Borders of Settlement Structures and Administrative Units” (FE4ErSiGG). This project of the German Aerospace Center (DLR) will run for one year starting in December 2021 in collaboration with the Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development (BBSR). Other partners are the Federal Institute for Population Research (BiB) and BKG as advisor.
Anticipation of conflicts using information from satellites (ACIS)
Considering possible satellite and geodata for integration in existing conflict models (Source left: https://fragilestatesindex.org/, as of 2021, right: Dolo Ado refugee camp, Ethiopia, Foto@UNHCR, 2016)
The main goal of the “Anticipation of Conflicts using Information from Satellites (ACIS)” project is to support with spatially and temporally optimized (geo )information the existing and future conflict models developed by the crisis early-detection competence centre (KompZ KFE) at the Universität der Bundeswehr München on behalf of the Federal Foreign Office. In this collaboration DLR is to investigate the extent to which satellite data and other geodata can be integrated in existing models so that they can be improved with respect to such criteria as model performance, plausibility and usefulness.