The Kingdom of Bahrain is employing data from satellite operator Planet Labs to underpin urban planning initiatives nationwide. Together with Planet Labs, Aetosky (formerly known as SkyMap Global) has implemented an urban planning and management system that combines AI and high resolution satellite imagery.

Barhain’s Survey and Land Registration Bureau is employing Planet’s SkySat 50 cm satellite imagery covering 850 sq kilometres. Change Detection Analysis are employed to monitor and categorise changes in the region, including modifications to existing buildings, rooftop alterations, vegetation shifts, and water changes. This has led to increased effectiveness of building permit validation activities by the municipalities.

The government of the Kingdom of Bahrain now receives regular biweekly updates that include infrastructure changes, and environmental alterations such as urban greenspaces and coastline activities. The system incorporates proprietary data cube technology, enabling cataloguing and management of spatial-temporal datasets. This technology allows the SLRB to extract and analyse changes across the entire country.

“The Kingdom of Bahrain is making remarkably innovative strides in enabling smart city planning by leveraging cutting-edge satellite data and AI,” said Will Marshall, CEO and co-founder of Planet. “This project has demonstrated how governments can embrace smart change detection systems to automate their projects, saving time and resources. We look forward to helping countries across the world to follow suit.”

“This advanced technology marks a significant leap forward, further enhancing our ability to track and manage construction and environmental changes across the Kingdom of Bahrain, with unprecedented efficiency, speed and accuracy. This, in turn, feeds into the development of the country’s smart cities, sustainable agricultural practices, and proactive environmental protection,” stated H.E Eng. Basim Yacob Alhamer, President of the Survey and Land Registration Bureau. “This collaboration epitomises the Kingdom of Bahrain’s dedication to harnessing the power of cutting-edge technology to propel our nation towards a future defined by sustainable development and intelligent urban planning.”