Planet and discovery from the NICFI Satellite Data Program, has teamed with Microsoft to make high-resolution, tropical forest Basemaps available to select researchers within the Planetary Computer platform.
The Group on Earth Observations (GEO), in partnership with Microsoft, announced a Request for Proposals (RFP) from scientists looking to bring the power of Microsoft’s Planetary Computer to Planet’s high-resolution imagery to help reduce and reverse tropical forest loss. Planet recently entered into a definitive merger agreement with dMY Technology Group, Inc. IV (NYSE:DMYQ), a special purpose acquisition company, to become a publicly-traded company later this year.
The GEO-Microsoft Planetary Computer RFP will support a number of 12-month projects that use the NICFI Satellite Data and the Planetary Computer to address environmental challenges. Successful applicants will receive access to the NICFI Satellite Data within the Planetary Computer platform, up to $60,000 in financial support for 12 months, up to $60,000 in Microsoft Azure credits as well as technical advice and support. To submit a proposal and view, please select this direct link…
The projects will be developed and scaled using Microsoft Azure cloud services and the Microsoft Planetary Computer. All project deliverables will be made publicly available to enable global researchers to share insights and work together towards addressing the global challenges of deforestation and climate change.
In September of 2020, Norway’s Ministry of Climate and Environment awarded an international contract to Kongsberg Satellite Services (KSAT), who, in partnership with Planet and Airbus, have since been providing universal access to high-resolution satellite monitoring of the tropics to support efforts to stop deforestation and save the world’s tropical forests. To learn more about the NICFI Satellite Data Program.
“The unprecedented scale of high-resolution data being made available through the NICFI program – along with the computational power provided by the Planetary Computer – will enable the conservation community to explore completely new questions about the state of Earth’s forests, and to develop novel approaches to deforestation monitoring that are urgently needed,” said Dan Morris, Principal Scientist with Microsoft’s AI for Earth Program.
