Network Rail, the owner and operator of Britain’s railway infrastructure, teamed up with Earth Observation (EO) analytics Catalyst (PCI Geomatics) on a 12-week pilot program that investigated how weather-driven risks to rail infrastructure across the Wessex Route in the UK could be identified prior to an event. Network Rail announced details of the 12-week pilot program on Monday.
The program involved collaboration between Network Rail’s Wessex Route Operations and Resilience teams and CATALYST. The exploratory work produced a prototype for an EO-enabled decision-support solution that combines satellite-derived risk indicators with short-range weather forecasts. The solution explored how to provide visibility to respond to potential flooding and vegetation risk on a route up to three days in advance of the forecasted weather.
Satellite-derived risk forecasts have the potential to materially improve the way rail operators anticipates and respond to weather-driven disruption. In the pilot, the prototype highlighted locations where flooding or vegetation risks could be elevated. Subject to further development and validation, these insights could complement existing inspection planning and resource prioritization.
“Network Rail supports the continued development of space-enabled technologies as part of a wider, complementary toolset for infrastructure risk management. This pilot has explored how satellite-derived datasets and weather information could give operational teams an earlier view of potential vegetation and flooding risks. We look forward to seeing how this type of capability continues to mature across the EO industry, with the potential to support more targeted inspections and interventions, reduce avoidable disruption, and continue to build resilience on climate-sensitive routes,” Thomas Desmond, Operations Director, Network Rail, said in a statement.
