SAR Analytics Solution by Synspective

Satellite-based Earth observation analytics for disaster management, infrastructure resilience, and environmental monitoring.

Past and Current Partners

Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), World Bank, Asian Development Bank

Active Countries
Japan, Singapore, United States
Thematic area(s)
Climate, Crisis
Technology
AI/ML, Proprietary Software/Hardware, SaaS
Organisation Name
Synspective Inc.
READ MORE ON THEIR WEBSITE

The Problem

Developing countries and remote areas often lack reliable ground-based data to monitor critical risks such as land subsidence, flood damage, and illegal logging. Traditional surveying methods are costly, slow, and heavily dependent on weather conditions, limiting timely disaster response and infrastructure management. Governments, infrastructure operators, and communities in these regions face challenges in assessing risks and allocating resources efficiently, which can compromise safety, resilience, and economic stability.

The Solution

Synspective provides a geospatial analytics platform that integrates data from its high-frequency SAR satellites ("StriX") with third-party SAR sources like Sentinel and ALOS. This hybrid approach allows both historical trend analysis and real-time monitoring. Key features include all-weather, day-and-night capability, wide-area coverage without on-site personnel, and millimeter-level precision detection of land subsidence. By fusing SAR, optical, and ground-based data, the platform helps users identify risk hotspots, prioritize scarce resources, and make informed, locally tailored decisions, even in areas where traditional monitoring is not feasible.

How it works?

  • Step 1: Data acquisition and transmission - SAR satellites cast microwaves to capture ground data day or night. The collected raw data is then transmitted to ground stations.
  • Step 2: Data Processing - The raw satellite data is corrected to match the actual shape of the ground (orthorectification) and analyzed using advanced techniques like detecting tiny ground movements (InSAR), identifying changes over time, and spotting objects or areas of interest.
  • Step 3: Data Integration - SAR data is combined with optical and ground data to generate localized risk assessments.
  • Step 4: Analysis & Visualization - Insights such as land subsidence rates, flood extent, and deforestation areas are displayed on a user-friendly dashboard.
Digital X Solution SAR Analytics Solution by Synspective

Bridging the digital divide

Synspective enables access to high-precision geospatial analytics in regions where traditional monitoring is difficult or too expensive. Governments, urban planners, and communities in developing countries or remote areas gain critical insights without deploying extensive on-site sensors or personnel. By reducing dependence on costly and weather-dependent surveying, the solution empowers vulnerable populations and decision-makers to anticipate risks, prevent disasters, and optimize infrastructure management.

Impact and highlights

Synspective’s solution has significantly improved disaster monitoring and risk assessment worldwide. It reduces response time from weeks to hours, lowers monitoring costs compared to traditional surveys, and enables precise, large-area observation in challenging conditions.

Notable case studies demonstrate the real-world impact of Synspective’s SAR Analytics Solution. In Guatemala City, in partnership with JICA (2018–2021), the platform monitored ground subsidence and identified three high-risk sinkhole locations that traditional surveys had missed. In Joshimath, India, it continues to track a sinking city to support preventive interventions, while in Jamaica, the solution contributed to UN-SPIDER’s Disaster Response Report following severe flooding. Beyond these field applications, Synspective has successfully launched multiple commercial SAR satellites (StriX series), strengthening global disaster management capabilities and infrastructure monitoring.

Plans for expansion

Synspective plans to expand its SAR StriX satellite constellation to 30 satellites by the late 2020s, enabling near real-time, high-frequency Earth observation globally. This will increase the temporal resolution and geographic coverage of its analytics, allowing faster disaster response, improved infrastructure monitoring, and expanded support to developing countries and remote regions worldwide.