Projects
Current and completed projects
| Project name | Name of client | Type of work performed and role of Vista | Start and completion year |
|---|---|---|---|
| EO4CarbonFarming | European Space Agency | The aim of the project is to develop a service for monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) of measures to sequestrate CO2 in agriculture. The Vista approach integrates sophisticated Earth Observation methods with a combined physical land surface and plant growth model that can map the metabolism of the two essential elements carbon and nitrogen in soil and plant. This way carbon stocks in farming and their GHG impact can be estimated. |
12/2022 – 12/2024 |
| ARIES – EO Africa Project Website |
European Space Agency | The goal of ARIES – a project within the EOAfrica Explorer – is to generate innovative products using hyperspectral and thermal satellite data for drought monitoring in Africa. The project will use ECOSTRESS and PRISMA data for the development and validation of new algorithms and EO data products. The lessons learned from the project will influence the design of future satellite missions (esp. LSTM and CHIME). | 09/2022 – 09/2024 |
| STELAR | European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme | STELAR will develop a Knowledge Lake Management System (KLMS) to support FAIR and AI-ready data, (semi-)automatically turning a raw data lake into a knowledge lake. VISTA’s main role is the lead of the pilot on “Early crop growth predictions”, which tackles the highly challenging and innovative problem of pushing crop development predictions much earlier in the season. |
09/2022 – 08/2025 |
| Rainbow Project Website |
European Space Agency | The goal of this InCubed+ activity is to de-risk the development of an innovative hyperspectral instrument optimized for agricultural applications with significantly reduced costs and complexity compared to a traditional hyperspectral imager. It includes an immediate simulation of the effects of changes in the sensor specifications all the way up to the final products to find the best balance of on-board functionality versus ground segment functionality to allow for the smallest and lightest satellite design while keeping the highest quality for the smart farming products. (Prime: Airbus) | 2022 – 2024 |
| EO4Carbon Farming | European Space Agency | Feasibility study on the quantification of soil organic carbon (humus) content using earth observation data. | 07/2021 – 12/2021 |
| Impact of COVID-19 on Harvest of Row Crops | European Space Agency | The project wants to analyse whether the COVID-19 pandemic and associated containment measures had any disruptive effects on agricultural production and harvest patterns of row crops (maize, wheat, barley and rapeseed). Harvest dates and spatial patterns are investigated for the year 2020 with Sentinel-1 data for hundreds of thousands of parcels scattered throughout 19 European countries. The project builds on the extensive big data analysis framework of YPSILON®, which integrates phenological crop growth modelling with Sentinel-2 optical satellite data to monitor plant development and harvest progress. The radar data is added as an independent and high-resolution information source for the detection of harvest events. | 2020 – 2021 |
| Nnnovative – Development and validation of demand-oriented services to support an optimised use of nitrogen fertilisers in agriculture | Bavarian State Ministry of Economics and Energy | The aim of the project is the development and validation of demand-oriented services to support an optimised use of nitrogen fertilisers in agriculture. Heterogeneous and comprehensive environmental data (Copernicus data, meteorological data, site specific management data, geobase data, yield measurements) will be used for this purpose with innovative modelling and data analysis approaches and will be linked in a service tailored to the needs of the users. | 2019 – 2020 |
| ExtremeEarth Project Website |
European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme | The ExtremeEarth project develops extreme earth analytics techniques and technologies that scale to the petabytes of big Copernicus data, information and knowledge, and applies these technologies in two of the ESA TEPs: Food Security and Polar. | 2019 – 2021 |
| VieWBay | Bavarian State Ministry of the Environment and Consumer Protection | The objective of the joint project ViewBay funded by the Bavarian State Ministry for Environment and Consumer Protection and supported by the Bavarian State Office for Environment is the precise calculation and documentation of spatial and temporal dynamics of water and material flows. The study area is the hydrological catchment area of Bavaria. For this purpose, VISTA GmbH generates high-resolution, nationwide timeseries of environmental parameters. This information is largely derived from the Copernicus environmental satellites Sentinel 1A/B as well as Senitnel 2A/B and further free of charge remote sensing satellites. The environmental parameters and their timeseries will be provided with a spatial resolution of 10 m for all arable areas in Bavaria. |
2018 – 2021 |
| ViWA
Virtual Water Values |
Federal Ministry of Education and Research/PTKA | ViWA aims at developing and using a global, high-spatial and -temporal resolution, remote sensing based management and monitoring system for the efficiency and sustainability of water use in agriculture and competing sectors. This enables to transparently and neutrally assess the progress in achieving water-related SDGs through more efficient use of water. The monitored high resolution data allows ViWa to consider both the “global” and the “local” in developing, formulating and analyzing trade-offs of practice-relevant solution options for a more sustainable and efficient use of water resources including a more environment-friendly trade with virtual water. Prime: LMU Munich. |
2017 – 2020 |
| SattGrün | Federal Office for Agriculture and Food / Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture | Within the project, decision support systems for the management of grassland based on satellite data and modelling will be developed. They are intended to support farmers with regard to optimal mowing dates, fertilization and practicability of the areas. VISTA will work together with FarmFacts to develop a site-specific information service and thus work on offering the TalkingFields service for grassland areas as well. Project leader: Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF). | 2017 – 2020 |
| Food Security TEP | European Space Agency ESA/ESRIN | The innovative Food Security Thematic Exploitation Platform (FS-TEP) of ESA will foster smart agricultural and aquacultural applications in the scientific, private and public domain with immediate access to Earth Observation (EO) data, other related data and data processing tools. | 2017 – Ongoing |
| DAFNE
A Decision-Analytic Framework to explore the water-energy-food NExus in complex and trans-boundary water resources systems of fast growing developing countries |
European Commission – Horizon 2020 | The overall objective of DAFNE is to establish a decision-analytic framework (DAF) for participatory and integrated planning of Water ressources in trans-boundary river basins in Africa. The DAF will be developed for the two river systems of the Sambesi and Omo river, taking into account existing and planned infrastructure and engaging local stakeholders and academic expertise. VISTA will provide data derived from satellite images to characterise the space-time variability of key parameters such as Leaf Area Index, fractional vegetation cover, water body characteristics etc. Partner: ETH Zürich(Lead), Politecnico di Milano, International Center for Research on the Environment and the Economy, KU Leuven, University of Aberdeen, Universität Osnabrück, International Water Management Institute, African Collaborative Centre for Earth System Science, University of Zambia, Universidade Eduardo Mondlane, Atec-3d Ltd, European Institute for Participatory Media EV |
2016 – 2020 |
| FireRisk
Enhanced Fire Risk Management through integration of C-/X- Band SAR Earth Observation Data and Environmental Modelling in Canada |
DLR / CSA | R&D project to maximize the interoperable and synergistic use of C- and X-band SAR datasets to derive soil and forest dynamic products in the fire risk context, together with Canadian Partner Hatfield Consultants | 2015 – 2018 |
| Polaris
User Needs and High-Level Requirements for Next Generation Observing Systems for the Polar Regions |
European Space Agency ESA/ESRIN | The Polaris program will guide the development of the next generation of space infrastructure to support both scientific and operational information needs in the rapidly evolving Polar Regions.Study with Polar View Earth Observation Ltd (lead) , C-Core, VTT and Airbus DS | 2015 – 2016 |
| SnowSense
IAP Demonstration Project |
European Space Agency ESA/ESTEC | Using satellite navigation, communication and remote sensing for timely access to high-quality and reliable information on snow Partners: ANAVS GmbH, LMU München | 2015 – 2018 |
| PloughStars
Winter Road Maintainance – IAP Feasability Study |
European Space Agency ESA/ESTEC | Space Based Services for Winter Road Maintenance.Partners:Berner & Mattner Systemtechnik (lead), BRIMATECH Services, TeleConsult Austria | 2014 – 2015 |
| SSEP Info-as-a-Service Stimulus
User Needs and High-Level Requirements for Next Generation Observing Systems for the Polar Regions |
European Space Agency ESA/ESRIN | Project to increase value and use of Copernicus (satellite data through the establishment of Information-as-a-Service applications by the linkage earth science with business environmente. Vista is performing use cases in the hydrological and agricultutural domain. Partner: T-Systems and ZEBRIS |
2014 – 2015 |
| EO4FOOD
Earth Observation Needs and Opportunities to Support Sustainable Agriculture and Development |
European Space Agency ESA/ESRIN | VISTA is in charge of project coordination and management, the assessment of geo-information and EO monitoring needs.Partners: LMU Munich – Department of Geography, Institute for the World Economy (IfW), Kiel | 2013 – 2016 |
| MELODIES
Maximizing the Exploitation of Linked Open Data In Enterprise and Science |
EC 7th Framework Programme Collaborative Research Project | To combine multiple open data streams (including Earth Observation and government data) to develop innovative services in a broad range of societal benefit areas. VISTA is contributing by a site-specific information service for land management. Partners: University of Reading (project coordinator), eight SMEs (incl. VISTA), two large companies and five research organization. |
2013 – 2015 |
| LEO
Linked Open Earth Observation Data for Precision Farming |
EC 7th Framework Programme Collaborative Research Project | Development of software tools that support the whole life cycle of reuse of linked open EO data and related linked geospatial data. To demonstrate the benefits of linked open EO data and its combination with linked geospatial data to the European economy, a precision farming application is developed that is heavily based on such data. Partners: NKUA (project coordinator), CWI, SPACEAPPS, VISTA, PC AGRAR |
2013 – 2015 |
| SnowSense
IAP Fast Track Feasability Study |
European Space Agency ESA/ESTEC | Using satellite navigation, communication and remote sensing for timely access to high-quality and reliable information on snow | 2013 – 2014 |
| myEOrganics
Mobile technology supporting sustainable agriculture |
EC European Mobile & Mobility Industries Alliance (EMMIA) | Development of a large scale demonstrator to show how to efficiently organise the regional support of emerging industries linked to innovative mobile services for organic certifiers in green farming. VISTA: Technical lead, Partners: BavAIRia e.V. (project coordinator), Ecocert, Infopole, PC Agrar |
2013 – 2015 |
| APPS4GMES
Development of operational products and services for GMES |
Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs, Infrastructure, Transport and Technology | Development of operational GMES services in the context of agriculture, water quality and quantity, environment and climate protection. VISTA: Project Manager, Partner: EOMAP, RSS, T-Sytems, ZEBRIS |
2012 – 2015 |
| M4Land | German Aerospace Center DLR | Model-based, multi-temporal and multi-sensor derivation of continuous land-management information; Research and development project in collaboration with the University of München (LMU), where new methods for model based image analyses are developed. |
2012 – 2014 |
| Insurance Flood Mapping Service | European Space Agency ESA/ESRIN | Trial of an operational Flood Mapping Service for the Reinsurance Industry Partners: SERTIT, PERILS AG |
2012 – 2013 |
| CLIMB
Climate Induced Changes on the Hydrology of Mediterranean Basins – Reducing Uncertainty and Quantifying |
EC 7th Framework Programme Collaborative Research Project | Hydrological modelling in 2 Mediterranean catchments using remote sensing data as input under consideration of climate change Partner: LMU München (Project Coordinator) |
2010 – 2013 |
| TalkingFields
satellite techniques for precision farming |
European Space Agency ESA/ESTEC | Demonstration study for the integrative application of satellite techniques for agricultural services VISTA: Project Manager Partner: LMU München, PC Agrar GmbH |
2010 – 2013 |
| Polar View
GMES Service Element |
European Space Agency ESA/ESRIN | Provision of operational, remote sensing based snow services for the Alps and Central Europe, VISTA: Snow service coordination Project coordination by C-Core (Canada) |
2005 – 2013 |
| IWRM MoMo
Integrated Water Resources Management in Central Asia: Model Region Mongolia |
UFZ Magdeburg / Federal Ministry of Education and Research | Satellite data analysis for Helmholtz-Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) Magdeburg | 2011 – 2012 |
| EORGANIC | European Space Agency ESA/ESRIN | Feasibility study for the development of remote sensing indicators for discrimination between organic and conventional fields, Role: Project partner Coordination by Keyobs (BE) |
2009 – 2012 |
| RapidSAR | German Aerospace Center DLR | Integrative use of multitemporal RapideEye and TerraSAR-X data for agricultural monitoring Partner: LMU Munich |
2009 – 2012 |
| ASAR soil moisture maps for the SMOS-validation study | German Aerospace Center DLR | Provision of large scale soil moisture maps with high spatial resolution, based on ENVISAT ASAR sensor Subcontract from LMU Munich |
2007 – 2011 |
| TalkingFields
satellite techniques for precision farming |
European Space Agency ESA/ESTEC | Feasibility study for the integrative application of satellite techniques for agricultural services VISTA: Project Manager Partner: LMU München, PC Agrar GmbH, Land-Data Eurosoft GmbH |
2008 – 2009 |
| Sentinel-3 Land scene generator for Optical System Performance Simulator | Thales Alenia France | Model and Software development for a land scene generator to simulate realistic Sentinel-3 data Partner: NLR (NL) |
2008 – 2009 |
| River monitoring of Main | Technical college Kassel and UFZ Leipzig | Monitoring of surface of water with the hyperspectral sensor AVIS for deduction of phytoplankton, dissolved matter and macrophyte. | 2008 – 2009 |
| Hyperspectral data analyses for agricultural applications in the frame of ENMAP | Geoforschungszentrum Potsdam | Literature review and consulting services to select methods for hyperspectral data analyses relevant for agricultural applications | 2008 – 2009 |
| Integration of Earth Observation within the reinsurance industry | European Space Agency ESA/ESRIN | Analyses of satellite data for reinsurance industry Subcontractor of an consortium led by SERTIT, F |
2004 – 2009 |
| Kazakhstan environmental monitoring | Regierungsbaumeister Schlegel GmbH on behalf of the Government of Kazakhstan | Satellite based monitoring of natural preserve areas (lake district) and their temporal evolution | 2008 |
| Simulation of ENMAP-like hyperspectral land scenes
using radiative transfer models |
Geoforschungszentrum Potsdam | Simulation of realistic data of the future hyperspectral satellite sensor EnMAP | 2007 – 2008 |
| Preagro
research network on “Precision agriculture as technique for sustainable agricultural land use” |
BMBF (German Ministry for Education and Research) | Canopy status assessment using remote sensing for model based yield estimation | 2005 – 2007 |
| AQUIFER
Water in Africa – Internationally shared transboundary Aquifer Management |
European Space Agency ESA/ESRIN | VISTA was responsible for revised land use classification and large scale water balance modelling in the SASS and Iullemeden aquifer Subcontractor of an International consortium led by GAF AG, DE |
2004 – 2007 |
| Generation of a Drainage Masterplan
Using Satellite Data, Standardized GIS-Methods and Hydraulic Modelling |
European Space Agency ESA/ESRIN | Development of an operational processing chain for using satellite data for urban drainage planning Partner: Regierungsbaumeister Schlegel GmbH |
2006 – 2007 |
| GMES / Sentinel-1 preparatory study | European Space Agency ESA/ESTEC | Demonstration of an operational soil moisture retrieval scheme form microwave satellite data (ASAR on ENVISAT) | 2005 – 2006 |
| Satellite Imagery/Data Analysis Study along with Ground Truth and Meteorological Monitoring | World Bank | Monitoring of land use and water consumption by crops through irrigation, water balance assessment Subcontractor in a project led by GAF AG, D |
2004 – 2006 |
| MASS-SER-D – Multiple Application Support Service System | European Space Agency ESA/ESRIN | Development of the web service and provision of daily information of snow covered area, the snow line, clouds and snow free areas using optical imagery | 2003 – 2005 |
| Phase B studies for SPECTRA
Mission Concept using Earth System Models and Land Surface Experiments |
European Space Agency ESA/ESTEC | Validation and accuracy assessments for a planned hyperspectral ESA mission using radiative transfer models Subcontractor of an International consortium led by University of Strasbourg, |
2003 – 2005 |
| INFERNO
Integration of remote sensing data in operational water balance and flood prediction modelling |
German Aerospace Center (DLR) | Development of operational image analyses processing chains for hydrological applications. Information on soil moisture and snow cover for improvement of runoff prediction and flood forecast Partner: LMU Munich, LUBW Baden-Württemberg, LUWG Rheinland-Pfalz |
2000 – 2005 |
| Macrophyte classification of Steinhuder Meer based on satellite data | Niedersächsisches Landesamt für Ökologie | Lake monitoring with multispectral satellite data | 2002 |
| Simulation of SPECTRA scenes in the VIS-SWIR window | European Space Agency ESA/ESTEC | Simulation of realistic data of the planned hyperspectral satellite sensor Spectra Subcontractor of an International consortium led by NLR, NL |
2001 – 2002 |
| Multispectral analysis with AVIS using the example of sugar beet | LIZ and Zuckerfabrik Pfeifer & Langen | Remote sensing based monitoring of yield information of sugar beet cultivation Partner: LMU München / GTCO |
2001 – 2002 |
| Long Term Earth Observation Market Development of ENVISAT
based Services Plain-Flood Monitoring |
European Space Agency ESA/ESRIN | Market development of ENVISAT data for flood-mapping Subcontractor of SERTIT, F | 2001 – 2005 |
| Monitoring of snow cover dynamics using satellite data | LFU Landesanstalt für Umweltschutz Baden-Württemberg | Monitoring of snow cover dynamics using optical and SAR sensors. Analysis of the potential of an operational service. | 1999 – 2000 |
| GeoBIRD
– The Retrieval of Geo- and Bio-Physical Information from Remote Sensing Data |
European Space Agency ESA | Retrieval of Geo- and Bio-Physical Information from multisensoral remote sensing data using ERS and optical sensors (TM, SPOT) with a model-based approach. Role: Prime |
1998 – 2000 |
| RAPHAEL
Runoff and Atmospheric Processes for flood hazard for forecasting and control |
European Union EU | Development, implementation and demonstration the use of coupled meteorological and hydrological models at the regional scale. Role: Subcontractor of an International consortium led by Università di Brescia, I |
1998 – 2000 |
| Yield estimation using remote sensing data | Ministerium für Ernährung und Ländlicher Raum Baden Württemberg | Yield estimation for maize using remote sensing data | 1998 – 2000 |
| Organization of a hyperspectral flight-campaign to assess the limnological and ecological condtions of the shore area of the Chiemsee | Limnologischen Station Iffeldorf, TU München | Deduction of a flight campaign with an imaging spectrometer to assess the limnological and ecological conditions of the shore area of lake Chiemsee | 1998 |
| Improvement of Flood monitoring and Flood management at upper Fodavari Becken (India) with remote sensing | GTZ | Improvement of the Flood monitoring | 1995 – 1998 |
| Training: “Application of the TR-20 Model”,”GIS and Remote Sensing for Hydrological Modelling” and “Advanced Remote Sensing Methods in Hydrology” | GTZ | Preparation and conduction of a 6 week training of Indian scientists | 1997 |
| Combination of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and Optical Spectrometer Data in Aggregated Models | German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institut für Hochfrequenztechnik | Combination of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and Optical Spectrometer Data in Aggregated Models | 1996 |
| Improvement of the methodical basis of yield estimation of maize with remote sensing data | Ministerium für Ernährung und Ländlicher Raum Baden Württemberg | Improvement of the yield estimation of maize with remote sensing data | 1995 – 1996 |
| Application of operational weather satellite data for flood forecasting | Landesanstalt für Umweltschutz Baden-Württemberg | Improvement of flood forecasting using weather satellite data | 1995 |