Tech

Alberta tech company Wyvern is building a better planet from space

An Edmonton-based space technology company made up of University of Alberta alumni is revealing new insights about Earth using the first-ever commercial hyperspectral satellite.

But what exactly is it? It sounds complicated, but Chris Robson, co-founder and CEO of Wyvern, offered a simple way to think about it:

“Imagine you and I are on an airplane looking down. We'll see forests and rivers and mountains, but if we could see with hyperspectral eyes, we wouldn't just see forests,” Robson said.

You can see all kinds of trees, see if there are any pine beetle infestations, and even see how much moisture or humidity is in the soil and plants.

Robson holds a master's degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Arizona, where he studied aerodynamic attitude control systems.

Story continues below ad

Hyperspectral maps are similar to infrared heat maps, but in the case of the map pictured above, different colours represent things like humidity levels, vegetation and even a camouflaged vehicle hiding at the edge of the forest.

“These bands of color give us a glimpse into what chemistry is going on inside the pixel,” Robson said.

Robson said hyperspectral imagery like the one above could be useful in a whole range of sectors, including agriculture, mining, insurance and government defense.

Story continues below ad

If you're in forestry, it's knowing exactly what type of timber stock you have or where there's a wildfire risk. In the energy industry, it's environmental remediation and measuring how much methane is leaking from your infrastructure, Robson said.

Get the latest news from Canada and around the world delivered to your inbox as it happens.

There are many applications, and with hyperspectral there are literally thousands of applications.”

What's popular now

Canada's dental health plan is expanding. Who is covered now?

Are Smoky Barbecue Chips Bad for Your Health? Here's Why They're Banned in Europe

The images were captured using Wyvern's Dragonette satellite, which the company says is the world's first commercial hyperspectral satellite, marking a milestone for the industry.

“We set out on this project with the goal of building a better Earth from space by understanding exactly what's happening on Earth every day,” Robson said.

Wyvern launched its first three Dragonet satellites on a SpaceX rocket last year.

The company's satellites orbit the Earth 15 times a day, visiting the same location on Earth every three days, and taking a single image takes up to six hours.

Story continues below ad

“We currently have three more satellites scheduled for launch, bringing our current constellation to six,” said Wyvern engineer and co-founder Carrie Lisina, who graduated from the University of Alberta with a degree in mechanical engineering and a minor in mathematics.

The research team said their satellite is a cheaper alternative to drone imagery.

Covering such a small area with a drone requires a lot of effort: “Our satellites can image 400 square kilometres in a matter of seconds,” says Robson.

“With this entirely new information now available for the first time, we can discover all sorts of new insights about the world,” Lisina said.

Sources

1/ https://Google.com/

2/ https://globalnews.ca/news/10589442/wyvern-commercial-hyperspectral-satellite-space/

The mention sources can contact us to remove/changing this article

What Are The Main Benefits Of Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Online

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2020, / Compare-autoinsurance.Org has launched a new blog post that presents the main benefits of comparing multiple car insurance quotes. For more info and free online quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/the-advantages-of-comparing-prices-with-car-insurance-quotes-online/ The modern society has numerous technological advantages. One important advantage is the speed at which information is sent and received. With the help of the internet, the shopping habits of many persons have drastically changed. The car insurance industry hasn't remained untouched by these changes. On the internet, drivers can compare insurance prices and find out which sellers have the best offers. View photos The advantages of comparing online car insurance quotes are the following: Online quotes can be obtained from anywhere and at any time. Unlike physical insurance agencies, websites don't have a specific schedule and they are available at any time. Drivers that have busy working schedules, can compare quotes from anywhere and at any time, even at midnight. Multiple choices. Almost all insurance providers, no matter if they are well-known brands or just local insurers, have an online presence. Online quotes will allow policyholders the chance to discover multiple insurance companies and check their prices. Drivers are no longer required to get quotes from just a few known insurance companies. Also, local and regional insurers can provide lower insurance rates for the same services. Accurate insurance estimates. Online quotes can only be accurate if the customers provide accurate and real info about their car models and driving history. Lying about past driving incidents can make the price estimates to be lower, but when dealing with an insurance company lying to them is useless. Usually, insurance companies will do research about a potential customer before granting him coverage. Online quotes can be sorted easily. Although drivers are recommended to not choose a policy just based on its price, drivers can easily sort quotes by insurance price. Using brokerage websites will allow drivers to get quotes from multiple insurers, thus making the comparison faster and easier. For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ Compare-autoinsurance.Org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "Online quotes can easily help drivers obtain better car insurance deals. All they have to do is to complete an online form with accurate and real info, then compare prices", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing CompanyPerson for contact Name: Gurgu CPhone Number: (818) 359-3898Email: [email protected]: https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ SOURCE: Compare-autoinsurance.Org View source version on accesswire.Com:https://www.Accesswire.Com/595055/What-Are-The-Main-Benefits-Of-Comparing-Car-Insurance-Quotes-Online View photos