ESA’s Civil Security from Space programme is working to support governments in the event of large-scale civilian evacuations, ensuring authorities are equipped and prepared in times of crisis. ESA is working to deliver this through its project, MapGuard, which will develop a secure and fast response emergency map service for civilian evacuation. The project is led by Guardtime, a blockchain technology company headquartered in Tallin, Estonia, in partnership with Estonian authorities.
The innovative platform will combine cutting-edge Earth observation technology with blockchain-secured data management, helping protect data from malicious actors, to provide support for emergency response operations.
The solution integrates multiple data streams with temporal resolutions ranging from one to 24 hours, providing emergency responders with near real-time intelligence that’s crucial for evacuation planning and execution. The integration is achieved thanks to collaboration with the Estonian Land Board and REGIO OU to leverage on their extensive expertise in geographic information system services and Earth observation imagery.
With a long term vision to federate Baltic countries, the system will aim at leveraging regional expertise to enhance its effectiveness and reliability. This collaboration, which includes the Estonian National Rescue Board, Estonian National Agency for Defence and Security, local municipalities, and the Estonian Land Board, ensures that emergency response capabilities are enhanced across participating nations, creating a more resilient and coordinated approach to civilian safety.
Due to the sensitive nature of such data, MapGuard implements sophisticated, state-of-the art end-to-end security for all data transmission, alongside continuous monitoring of data integrity. MapGuard uses an advanced blockchain-based traceability system which ensures data certification, while tamper-proof mechanisms protect against spoofing and other cyber threats, creating a robust security framework that emergency responders can rely on.
The system's ability to process and integrate data in near-real time from satellites, aerial drones, and ground sensors provides emergency responders with comprehensive situational awareness, essential for effective evacuation planning and execution. This integration of multiple data sources supports decision makers in best adapting to developing emergency situations.
"The Civil Security from Space programme demonstrates ESA's commitment to protecting citizens through space applications. MapGuard shows how satellite technology can be directly applied to enhance civilian safety and emergency response capabilities,” said Christopher Topping, ESA Civil Security from Space Programme Manager.
“Guardtime is proud to collaborate with ESA on developing solutions to strengthen civil security, particularly in response to the evolving geopolitical challenges in Europe. Enhancing civil security capabilities is essential for safeguarding society. By leveraging near real-time data from space and ensuring robust data security, rescue services gain the accurate, reliable situational awareness needed for rapid and effective emergency responses,” said Kaarel Hanson, Guardtime’s Vice President of Space Solutions.
“This project addresses the increasingly important issue of trusted information for emergency responders as well as rapid integration of diverse datasets – as such it will ensure significant advances in of satellite data uptake for crisis response situations,” said Gordon Campbell, from the ESA Earth Observation directorate.
The Civil Security from Space programme develops and implements space-based solutions for enhancing civilian safety and security across Europe. Through innovative projects like MapGuard, CSS continues to demonstrate the crucial role of space technology in protecting European citizens.
