Satellite Remote Sensing Blog

Tailings dam monitoring requires more than periodic inspections—it demands continuous, large-scale visibility of ground. However, traditional monitoring methods often lack the continuity and spatial coverage needed to deliver a complete understanding of ground behaviour. Historical datasets provide a continuous, high-resolution record of deformation, revealing trends that short-term monitoring cannot capture. Using satellite-based radar technology , InSAR (short for Interfer

Discover how advanced satellite-based InSAR technology delivers precise, continuous rail deformation monitoring, enabling early detection of ground movement, reduced risk, and smarter maintenance planning.

Satellite monitoring is transforming how engineers understand and manage ground behaviour and risk. But raw satellite data only becomes truly valuable when interpreted through a geotechnical lens — turning numbers into actionable insights for risk assessment, asset management, and safety.  In the first instalment of our expert Q&A series, Geofem Founder, Dr. Andrew Lees CEng FICE — a geotechnical engineer with extensive experience in both numerical modelling and satellite-ba

Discover how Geofem uses satellite data to assess geohazards, with three real-world case studies showcasing how we support risk-informed engineering decisions.

A dam holding back billions of tonnes of water is a symbol of immense power. But what if its greatest threat isn't a dramatic earthquake, but an unnoticed shift in the ground no bigger than the thickness of a coin? For the world’s critical hydropower infrastructure, this early invisible danger is one of the most serious risks.    These tiny movements—a slow sinking of the ground or a subtle deformation in the concrete—are key indicators of potential geotechnical or structural

Discover how AI automation and space technology are revolutionising tailings dam monitoring, enhancing risk assessment and environmental impact management.

In the evolving mining landscape, the resilience of tailings infrastructure against climate change is paramount. As global temperatures rise and extreme weather events become more frequent, the safety of mining operations is increasingly scrutinised.   Given the large volumes of reactive or contaminated material stored in TSFs, any loss of containment can result in major environmental damage and high-consequence financial repercussions.  The introduction of the Global Industr

Flooding is the world’s costliest natural disaster, and its impacts are escalating. The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction reports that floods make up 35–40% of all weather-related disasters. Between 1970 and 2019, water-related hazards accounted for half of all disasters and 45% of reported deaths, and since 2000, recorded flood events have surged by 134%. Yet despite this growing risk, most flood-forecasting systems still rely on coarse soil-moisture data, l

As climate change intensifies, sandstorms are growing stronger and more frequent, turning once-passable roads and railways into shifting obstacles.   Across the world’s arid and semi-arid regions, desertification is advancing, and with it, thousands of kilometres of transportation networks face mounting disruption, rising maintenance costs, and serious safety risks.  The challenge: confronting sand to ensure infrastructure resilience  Sand accumulation on transportation corri

Beneath the asphalt of US-191 near Utah's Recapture Reservoir, a slow-moving threat has been quietly reshaping the ground. Over a...

In remote sensing, orthorectification serves as a fundamental process, crucial for ensuring the accuracy and utility of satellite...

When we think about infrastructure, whether it’s bridges, tunnels, dams, or urban transportation systems, the focus needs to go beyond...

Remote sensing technologies have revolutionised the field of geoscience, offering profound insights into the Earth’s dynamic processes....

Understanding displacement vectors in satellite remote sensing is pivotal for a multitude of geoscientific applications, including...

Understanding why soils and rocks fail is at the heart of geotechnical engineering — and few tools are as fundamental to that...

You may be aware of satellite technology solutions such as InSAR being deployed by mining companies to monitor and assess Tailings...

Executive Summary On February 13th, 2024, the Çöpler Gold Mine in eastern Türkiye experienced a catastrophic failure of its heap leach...

In geotechnical engineering and geohazard management, understanding and monitoring landslide risk indicators is paramount. This intricate...

In geoscience and civil engineering, the intersection of satellite remote sensing technologies and geotechnical engineering represents a...

In an era where data drives decision-making across various sectors, Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data analysis has emerged as a...