SmartEnds is a Belgium-based company that combines smart sensor technology supported by space-based solutions with artificial intelligence to optimise waste collection and reduce landfill waste. 

The challenge

The global waste management industry is expected to reach $2.3 trillion by 2030, yet much of it still relies on analogue systems. Traditionally, waste collection systems operate on fixed schedules, following rigid one-size-fits-all models. Trucks operate on fixed schedules, regardless of whether bins are overflowing or nearly empty, a practice that has become increasingly outdated and inefficient.

The consequences of this approach are significant:

• Overuse of fleets and personnel, leading to inflated operational costs.
• No real-time visibility into bin status, resulting in missed overflows or unnecessary pickups.
• Lack of automation, making it impossible to optimise routes or track performance.
• Limited data on bin locations and contents, especially in large or remote areas.

Solution

To tackle these challenges, SmartEnds introduced a cutting-edge waste management system powered by IoT sensors, smart cameras, and AI-driven software. Their technology is designed to work across a wide range of bin types, from compact city bins to massive industrial containers.

Key innovations include:

• Sensor Integration: These smart sensors detect fill levels, last collection time, and even the type of waste, flagging hazardous materials when necessary.
• Smart Cameras: Visual verification tools help ensure recycling quality and detect contamination.
• Software Optimisation: All data is fed into a central platform that calculates the most efficient collection routes, reducing fuel consumption and labour hours.

Regarding the space components, two are the main solutions which are integrated in these systems, supporting the overall activities and innovations: the first is Spatial Intelligence with GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System), which enhances location accuracy, especially for large or mobile containers.

And the second one is about Advanced Connectivity, especially in remote or rural zones, where satellite communication ensures uninterrupted data flow.

Results

Implementing these technologies has empowered users to achieve: 

• Fleet Reduction: Translating into lower fuel costs and reduced emissions.
• Environmental Gains: In most cases, optimised routing has led to a 30–40% reduction in road usage, easing traffic congestion and cutting carbon output.
• Operational Efficiency: Collection is faster and more accurate, with fewer missed pickups and less overflow.
• Cost Savings: Municipalities and private companies report at least 30% savings in operational costs thanks to smarter route planning and better resource allocation.

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Drift+Noise GmbH was incorporated in 2014 as a spin-off company of the Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Center for Polar and Marine Research (AWI) and has established itself as a reliable and valued distributor of sea ice information data.

The challenge

Ships constantly have to navigate natural elements like weather, waves, and currents. In polar waters, the sea ice in constant state of flux adds another layer of complexity which must not be neglected, as it can make navigation hazardous. On top of that, limited internet access near the poles makes it difficult for navigators to retrieve the data they need in a timely manner. Yet, having access to the right information is crucial for making quick, informed decisions that ensure both safety and efficiency.

The satellite solution

Inspired by navigators’ repeated requests for ready-to-use data combinations during expeditions, IcySea offers access to the latest ice-specific satellite imagery for research, expeditions, tourism, fishing, shipping and offshore activities via a phone-sized GPS plug. The data is optimized for download in PDF format. The app is accessible and is presented through a user-friendly, intuitive and interactive interface, making it easier for crews to compare and interpret critical information while navigating icy waters. For example, users can access maps of sea ice concentration, manipulate layers and even select a point of ice on an image to forecast its drift. The app also includes a ship risk assessment tool, which evaluates the navigability of ice-covered areas depending on the vessel type entered in the system. To improve situational awareness, IcySea offers access to optical and radar satellite imagery, enabling users to monitor ice flows on clear days with optical images, or to rely on radar imagery when clouds prevent visibility. For each dataset, the app clearly indicates the most recent update time, ensuring crews always have access to the latest available information.

The results

• Reduces cost and risk.
• Instant access to ice relevant data and satellite imagery for navigators on the bridge of ships going into the polar regions.
• Time is saved because of the data processing and visualization via IcySea. Decision-making process is accelerated.
• Access to the kind of data provided via IcySea increases safety on board of ships because navigators can better assess the kind of conditions, they can expect in their target area.
• High-resolution satellite imagery simplifies and speeds up the route planning and allows ships to navigate more efficiently, save fuel and reduce travel times, which all saves the operator money.

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Polar View is an international organisation specialising in satellite-based monitoring of the polar regions and global marine environments. With extensive expertise in delivering operational services, Polar View supports users in addressing environmental and climate-related challenges through Earth observation.

The challenge

Polar regions face extreme environmental conditions—sub-zero temperatures, winter darkness, and dangerous sea ice and icebergs—that make navigation perilous. The scarcity of in-situ sensors across vast and remote polar areas leads to critical data gaps, increasing the risks of maritime incidents. Regulatory frameworks such as the IMO Polar Code demand improved ice information, but data fragmentation and jurisdictional boundaries limit coordination and access to reliable forecasts.

The satellite solution

The DESIDE project, funded by the European Space Agency (ESA) and led by Polar View and the Danish Meteorological Institute (DMI) uses DESP/DestinE system capabilities to generate enhanced polar data services. By integrating RCM ARD data (Analysis Ready Data from the RADARSAT Constellation Mission), Sentinel satellites, and other polar datasets, the project provides comprehensive, multi-jurisdictional sea ice products. Key tools include a Sea Ice Chart Data Cube for planning and AI training, a method to track ice movement between satellite images, and tailored delivery via platforms such as IcySea, Polar Dashboard, and Polar TEP. These solutions support ship operators, analysts, and researchers alike.

The results

• Improved sea ice tracking and forecasting to support safety, planning, and emergency response.
• Greater operational safety for vessels navigating polar waters through more reliable and accessible ice data.
• Reduced emissions via optimized ship routing and voyage planning.
• Protection of environmentally sensitive areas through more accurate forecasts and policy support.
• Enhanced access to polar data for scientific research and AI-based analysis.

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Polar View is an international organisation specialising in satellite-based monitoring of the polar regions and global marine environments. With extensive expertise in delivering operational services, Polar View supports users in addressing environmental and climate-related challenges through Earth observation.

The challenge

Climate change calls for a fundamental transformation of our economies and societies. The global push toward a low-carbon, circular, and nature-positive economy—known as the Green Transition—must be supported by reliable data and decision-support tools, especially in vulnerable regions such as the Arctic and North Atlantic. The challenge lies in helping public and private actors plan and operate in ways that are both economically viable and environmentally sustainable, across sectors including maritime transport, renewable energy, and aquaculture.

The satellite solution

The Cerulean Information Factory (CIF), led by Polar View and funded by ESA, co-develops user-driven services that draw on satellite data, particularly from the Copernicus Marine Service, to support decision-making in three key sectors:

• Shipping: A route optimisation tool combining ocean and ice data with IMO CII metrics to improve safety and reduce emissions.
• Offshore renewables: A toolkit using historical and seasonal ocean data to assess site suitability and operational risk for wind, wave, and tidal energy.
• Aquaculture: A service integrating Copernicus and meteorological data to support site selection and risk monitoring, including water quality indicators.

The results

CIF delivers operational geospatial services that make satellite data accessible and actionable for end users. Key outcomes include:

• Minimizing carbon emissions from ships while maintaining safe and economical operations in and around sea ice.
• Assessing the suitability of sites for offshore renewable energy installations to balance the potential for energy production with the risks associated with hazards such as structural icing and extreme weather conditions.
• Assessment of the suitability of sites for aquaculture facilities to balance the potential for bio-productivity with the risks associated with sea ice and harmful algal blooms.

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D-ICE is a French SME working on technological solutions to diminish the impact of boats on the environment.

The company is based in Nantes, with a team of 26 people, and operates in the fields of routing, clean energy and safety at sea. D-ICE assists ship owners and operators to find solutions to diminish their impact on the environment. In particular, they work on assessing the interest of adding wind-assisted ship propulsion systems onboard merchant ships.

The challenge

More than 3% of global carbon dioxide emissions can be attributed to ocean-going vessels, which is equivalent to the annual greenhouse gas emissions from over 205 million cars. Moreover, boats powered by fuel also cause noise pollution that negatively affects marine life.

The carbon dioxide emissions of ships are directly proportional to fuel consumption and speed. To reduce their environmental impact and to align with the objectives of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the shipping industry is looking for solutions to reduce fuel consumption by using wind-assisted propulsion systems.

D-ICE decided to create systems to help ship operators to assess the interest of adding wind-assisted ship propulsion systems onboard their ships.

The satellite solution

Since 2020, D-ICE developed the SATORI software, an online service that estimates the fuel consumption of ships on specific routes. SATORI is particularly interesting to evaluate the performances of wind-assisted ship propulsion systems.

Initially funded by the Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service (CMEMS), SATORI relies on data from Copernicus satellites to acquire information on weather, wind, waves and sea currents on sea routes. Those historical data are made freely available by the Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service through two products: the Global Waves Reanalysis Waverys and the Global Ocean Physics Reanalysis.

The data are used to calculate ships’ motions and interactions with the environment. Indeed, the evaluation of wind, waves and currents is necessary for the model to calculate the speed of ships and their engine power between two points at a specific time.

The results

SATORI is built for shipowners, naval architects and providers of propulsion systems. Customers access SATORI through a web portal, where they can enter the ships’ data and their potential speed according to different directions and winds.

Users can perform statistical weather routing studies on the online interface, choose a route and the time periods on which they wish to assess the ships’ average consumption, and then create their own data visualisation to obtain the required forecasts (environmental conditions to be encountered, fuel saving associated with wind-assisted propulsion, ship motions).

SATORI has been already used by some notable skippers. For example, Total and Z&B are today using the software on some of their ships, while AYRO and Chantiers de l’Atlantique rely on it to design wind-assisted ship propulsion systems.

The same algorithm which powers SATORI was used to perform a study for the design team of the new Banque Populaire trimaran after their boat capsized during the Route du Rhum yacht race in 2018.

In 2021, the boat Maître Coq won the greatest sailing race around the world, solo, non-stop and without assistance: the Vendée Globe. D-ICE provided the skipper, Yannick Bestaven, with a software that contained a database of historical routes.

This database was computed with the same algorithm as SATORI. This tool helped him to confirm his routes’ choices and to eventually win the race.

“Thanks to this new technology, the shipping community can now validate business models around the new targets of the International Maritime Organization and take action to reduce greenhouse gases emissions globally”. Sylvain Faguet, D-ICE
Engineering.

READ THE FULL STORY

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The Lyon public transport network Transports en Commun Lyonnais (TCL) is managed by the public transport authority SYTRAL. Its task is to build and set up the agglomeration’s transport policy, carry out investments, determine pricing policy and adapt the transport offer in the Rhône and Lyon region in France.

The Challenge

As the number of people living in cities is growing, local authorities fear a rise in the number of vehicles and pollution. To respond to the increasing urban congestion, cities are exploring smarter and greener mobility solutions. One of the main challenges to encourage the use of public transport, is to bridge gaps at the edges of existing transit systems. This challenge is also known as “the first and last kilometre”. It represents the distance from a specific starting point to a transport network, or the distance remaining from a transport network to a final destination.

Lyon’s public transport network is the second largest in France. Nevertheless, in some areas of the city, commuters still face the first and last kilometre barrier. For example, the large majority of those working in the Gaulnes business park still prefer to use the car, while only 15% rely on public transport. To face this challenge, rather than increasing the number of traditional bus lines, the city decided to expand the coverage of the existing infrastructure.

Lyon has a strong history of innovation in public transport, starting in 1862 with the introduction of the first funicular railway. This innovative mindset led SYTRAL to contact the Keolis Group and NAVYA, a company based in Lyon that specialises in autonomous electric shuttles. The driverless shuttles offer a cost-effective way to encourage the use of public transport.

To be guided safely through the trafficked streets of Lyon, all the shuttles have a GNSS antenna. Thanks to satellite navigation, the position of a vehicle is constantly monitored by the control centre. Moreover, to ensure constant monitoring of the buses also where the satellite connection is interrupted, the vehicles are equipped with additional guidance and detection systems such as cameras and sensors.

In September 2016, Lyon launched its very first autonomous shuttle service named NAVLY in the Confluence district, complementing an urban renewal project overlooking the Saône River. The NAVLY shuttles, running at an average speed of 15 km/h, make five stops on a public route of 1.3 km. The vehicles are freely accessible, carry up to 15 passengers at a time and circulate regularly every day. For the moment, an operator is present on the bus. To know the position of the shuttles in real time and to consult the schedule, an application called “NAVLY” is available for free.

In March 2019, another autonomous shuttle line was added. The Mobilité Intelligente & Autonome (MIA) service connects the offices in the Gaulnes business park with the nearby tram station. This 2.4 kilometre route, which includes three stops, runs during rush hours and at lunch time. The objective is to offer an alternative to the car and encourage the use of public transport for those working in the area. A third line, N1, was launched in November 2019: two more autonomous shuttles provide a regular service between the Décines Grand Large tram station and the Parc Olympique Lyonnais stadium.

The results

The autonomous shuttles offer a cost-effective response to the challenges of urban mobility, in addition to conventional means of public transportation. Overall, the autonomous shuttles in Lyon have been used by over 70 000 passengers to date, while the N1 shuttles transport an average of 80 passengers every day. These first and last kilometre services mark the first wave of autonomous vehicle adoption in the city. This project is part of the EU-funded project Autonomous Vehicles to Evolve to New Urban Experience (AVENUE), and more autonomous vehicles will be deployed in other European cities in the future. Local transport in rural areas, or on specific sites such as university campuses and hospitals, can benefit from this smart mobility service as well.

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Bane NOR is a state-owned company responsible for the Norwegian national railway infrastructure. It owns most railway lines, platforms, waiting areas and stations, stretching 4 209 kilometres across the country.

The company is responsible for the planning, development, administration, operation and maintenance of the national railway network. Its responsibilities also include traffic management and developing more efficient solutions for its operations. It employs approximately 4000 employees, divided between five divisions with different responsibilities.

The challenge

As a result, Bane NOR who operates the railway needs to be informed quickly of any land subsidence or other occurrences that affect their tracks. Furthermore, the method needs to be cheap enough to cover the entire lengths of Norway efficiently.

The position of the railway track is subject to change due to geological changes in the landscape, temperature variations, and the physical forces of train traffic. Over time, these changes may cause reduced comfort for passengers or danger for trains in extreme situations.

The satellite solution

Track geometry is measured periodically up to six times per year. This is done with a unique measuring car (ROGER 1000) with optical lasers, gyroscopes, inclinometers, accelerometers, and cameras. The position of ROGER 1000 along the track is measured both by an odometer and satellite navigation.

The instruments are used to detect anomalies in the shape or position of the track. Observations are then logged together with their respective geo-positions using satellite navigation. Thus, the workforce tasked with inspecting and repairing the railway knows where to go.

 

Precise measurements are made manually by inspectors. Traditionally, these measurements have been done with reference to fixed points on the ground within line-of-sight of the railway. However, installing reference points along more than 4 000 kilometres of railway is very expensive. This is especially true in Norway where large parts of the railway are without electricity lines. Building a supportive infrastructure to support all areas would cost hundreds of millions.

In 2015 Bane NOR therefore began testing the satellite based Real Time Kinematic (RTK) method for tracking track positioning. This technique makes use of reference points from base stations for satellite signals rather than metal bolts in rock or concrete. These stations are run by the Norwegian mapping agency, reducing the need for infrastructure investments.

The result

Thanks to satellite navigation, Bane NOR can more efficiently deploy its maintenance workforce. This helps reduce costs while also making the workflow more convenient. The new method relying on RTK has so far provided reliable results with a standard deviation within the present technical requirements. The method is also cheaper for the administration to run and removes the need for large investments in areas without an electricity grid.

Lastly, the new technique has also proved to be more reliable. Since the alternative measuring units are installed on trees or on the ground along the railway, geological changes may alter their relative position to the railway. These measuring units will then incorrectly report a change of the railway itself, when it is instead the measuring units that have moved. With thousands of such sensors along the railway, the likelihood of an error is quite large. The satellite based solution solves this problem.

Satellites help Bane NOR keep track of the track more efficiently

 – Per Anton Fevang, BANE NOR

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Bologna is the capital of the Emilia Romagna Region, in central Italy. Within the Land Management Department of the Municipality of Bologna, the Sustainable Mobility Sector is in charge of planning policies and infrastructure interventions to favour sustainable mobility. This involves, among other tasks, monitoring circulation and traffic management measures, including operations carried out by external contractors and/or other city administrations.

The challenge

With a metropolitan population of about a million people, Bologna is served by a network of public buses operated by the publicly-owned company TPER Ltd (Trasporto Passeggeri Emilia-Romagna). Bologna is too small to have an underground transport system, but too large to be crossed with a single bus line. Hence, passengers often need to change buses to move around the city. To promote the use of public buses and ensure the quality of the service, it is therefore important to inform users of the precise arrival times of buses and to guarantee that bus circulation is as smooth as possible.

The satellite solution

For over ten years, Bologna public buses have been equipped with GPS transmitters which regularly communicate their position to a central unit. Today, more than 1 000 buses use the Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) system. The messages received by the central unit are automatically retransmitted to communicate the expected arrival times at the bus stops.

Moreover, Bologna’ centralised streetlight system adapts to traffic flows in real time, relying on the information provided by the AVL system and by a network of around 1 000 sensors placed under the street pavement, which monitor the number of cars on the street. Two minutes before approaching the traffic lights (detected through the GPS connection), buses send a message to the sensors nearby, allowing the central control unit to adapt the street light phases in real time so as to give priority green light to buses.

The result

Tests performed on a one-kilometre route showed that the system of sensors nearby traffic lights allows to save, in average, one and a half minutes on buses’ travel times. At large, the system ensures a greater regularity of buses arrival times and a considerable decrease of travel times.

Since 2012, the travel times of public buses collected through satellite navigation are made available as open data, allowing for the development of numerous apps to provide arrival times to users directly on their mobile devices. Moreover, the AVM data are used to calculate traffic congestion indexes which, thanks to an agreement with Google, can be visualised on Google Transit to inform users of traffic jams in the Municipality.

The AVM system, today operational on the totality of urban buses circulating in Bologna, will be soon extended to extra-urban bus lines.

“Satellite navigation proved to be a very valuable tool to improve circulation and enhance the use of public transport in Bologna”. Carlo Michelacci, Land Management Department, Sustainable Mobility Sector, Municipality of Bologna

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Austro Control is the Air Navigation Service Provider responsible for maintaining top quality standards of safety and punctuality for airlines and passengers crossing Austrian airspace. With around 4,000 daily flights, the public authority is tasked with securing a smooth and safe air traffic. In December 2006 the company received the Single European Sky certification which allows it to provide air traffic control services in the European Union.  

The challenges

The Alpine location of some of the main airports in Austria such as in Innsbruck, Linz and Graz entails tremendous terrain challenges for flight navigation. Weather conditions together with mountain proximity, make landing and takeoff challenging, even for experienced pilots. Harsh weather conditions, especially during winter time, regularly force operators to delay or re-route flights which increase operation costs and affect the local tourism industry.

The satellite solution

In 2012 Austro Control decided to equip the airports in Linz and Graz with EGNOS (European Geostationary Navigation Overlay System), the first European satellite navigation system. The use of this system improves the accuracy and precision of GPS signals which can thus enable successful landings and takeoffs, even in low-visibility or bad weather conditions. Also, EGNOS enhanced the so called “lower decision height”, a series of manoeuvres implemented during the descent phase to allow for a precise landing of the airplane. This is especially effective in cases where the required visual reference to continue the approach is not visible to the pilot.

The results

These new procedures contributed to the decrease of the initial high flight diversion rates. The new system improved the positional accuracy allowing for better quality technical and safety standards for landing and arrival procedures. Moreover, the great benefit of these procedures lies in the fact that there were no investments necessary, and so big results were achieved through cost effective solutions. Further, Austro Control is now testing the Points in Space (PinS) project which aims to provide satellite based approach procedures for helicopters landings for emergency medical services on mountainous terrain. 

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INEOS is a world leading chemical company headquartered in Switzerland founded in 1999. It employs a staff of 17, 000 and produces 60 million tons of products yearly. With a turnover of €50 billion in 2014, the company operates 65 manufacturing facilities in 16 countries, as well as the largest ethylene oxide terminal in Europe and the second-largest in the world. Its diverse portfolio includes textile and packaging companies, as well as fuels and other chemical products.

The opportunity

Ethylene Oxide is used in many agricultural products and as a steriliser for medical equipment and supplies. It is highly flammable, reactive and very toxic, so it is risky to transport. During transport, the units are exposed to shocks and extreme weather conditions, which can lead to accidents with very serioussecurity and health risks.  Despite such risks, whether delivery containers travelled by sea or train, INEOS had little information on their exact location and route.

Traditional track-and-trace systems rely on an external electricity supply to function. When on rail or boats, this is not the case. Rechargeable batteries, as well as GSM technology are inherently incompatible with highly flammable products such as Ethylene Oxide. Finally, real-time monitoring on global transports, including cross-ocean travels, required a complete rethinking of the technologies to use so as guarantee the functioning of the tracking device in those conditions for a minimum of 4 years.

The satellite solution

Recently, Ovinto, a Belgian SME, developed a satcom solution that relies on Globalstar (a commercial satellite network provider). In combination with satnav, it allows for a real-time tracking and monitoring of unpowered assets. INEOS tasked Ovinto to equip its fleet with the monitoring device and to set-up additional services based on the data monitored. The equipment enabled the company to monitor its wagons and containers carrying Ethylene Oxide worldwide. The system provides a continuous stream of data, such as location, temperature, pressure, leakage or shocks in near real-time.

The result

Thanks to the innovative tracking system, INEOS managed to cut maintenance costs, improve delivery times, and optimise the use of its wagons, thus increasing their economic cycle.  Last but not least, INEOS can better achieve its safety, health, and environmental objectives. As the service provides near real-time data, the company is better equipped to act accordingly in case of failures or accidents.

There was at times an insufficient grip on the whereabouts of our INEOS Ethylene Oxide containers. Now, thanks to a satcom based EX-proof system we can not only track our entire fleet remotely, but have also the possibility to retrieve safety critical parameters by using an internet-based software.

Patrick De Block, Business SHE Manager, INEOS Oxide

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