
News and Insights
ISPRS Brock Gold Medal Nominations 2026
ISPRS Brock Gold Medal Nominations
ISPRS Council is seeking recommendations from members for the prestigous
Brock Gold Medal Award (https://www.isprs.org/society/awards/brock.aspx)
which will be presented at the XXV ISPRS Congress in Toronto in 2026
(https://www.isprs2026toronto.com/).
The deadline for nominations is 1 October 2025. Nominations can be
submitted via the online portal
https://www.isprs.org/society/awards/nominations/Default.aspx which will
be opened on 10 June or per email to the ISPRS President, Lena Halounová
at isprs-pr@isprs.org.
UK Space Consultation: Read the RSPSoc Response
UK SPACE CONSULTATION: READ THE RSPSoc RESPONSE
The House of Lords Committee on UK Engagement with Space published a call for written evidence for its inquiry to consider UK policies relating to space, and both the opportunities and challenges related to the UK’s engagement with space.
Read the RSPSoc response
The Science Podcast:
In his podcast Alessandro Novellino, our education convenor, uses his podcast interview incredible individuals from different sectors (science, TV, sports, entrepreneurship and academia) across the whole world.
What to Expect: - Discover the cool, innovative and inspiring work people are doing! Understand why their work is crucial in the real world. Hear inspiring stories about their career journeys and personal experiences.
Axelspace to Launch Seven Next-Generation Earth Observation Microsatellites “GRUS-3” in 2026
Axelspace to Launch Seven Next-Generation Earth Observation Microsatellites “GRUS-3” in 2026
Research Integrity
Mike Streeter, Director of Research Integrity Strategy & Policy at Wiley and COPE Council Member, shares key takeaways from STM’s Integrity Day - covering transparency in retractions, navigating ambiguity, AI, and policy changes.
Step change for PML’s remote sensing capabilities with new, cutting-edge drone technology
A new PML-led project, funded through the NERC: Natural Environment Research Council Net Zero Aerial Capability (NZArC) programme, aims to revolutionise how underwater environments are mapped, particularly shallow waters like river sections and coastal areas with low turbidity.
Titled ‘A remotely piloted aerial Green LiDAR for mapping bathymetry of shallow waters and elevation of boundary land (Green LiDAR)’, the project involves collaborations with British Geological Survey, National Oceanography Centre, Scottish Association For Marine Science and the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH), using state-of-the-art aerial equipment to provide underwater mapping (bathymetry) data where other sensors struggle or simply fail to provide solutions.
Aser Mata Torollo, Project Leader and Earth Observation Scientist at PML, commented:
“Mapping of shallow waters is especially vital for studying blue carbon habitats such as mangroves, seagrasses, and tidal marshes as these are some of the most efficient natural carbon sinks on Earth. These habitats store and sequester carbon at rates far exceeding tropical forests but mapping their underwater terrain and estimating carbon storage has been a major challenge”.
While bathymetry of the seabed or rivers can be obtained using other boat and instruments such as multibeam echosounders, these sensors cannot be deployed in very shallow waters. To help deliver mapping of ecologically and economically-important underwater environments that are hard-to-reach, the project has allowed for an innovative RIEGL UK Ltd VQ-840-GL Topo-Bathymetric LiDAR sensor to be obtained along with a dedicated third-party drone platform.
RSPSoc Strategy
STRATEGY
We have a strategy to help guide us. It is our 75th anniversary in 2027. So, our current strategy will take us to there. You can read it here.
Each year we produce an annual report and impact statement, you can read this here
Stormy rains in the Sahara offer clues to past and future climate changes
A new study recently published in Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, provides new insights into the meteorological processes responsible for the filling of a normally dry lake in the northwestern Sahara. The research offers a fresh perspective on past climate variations and suggests we can learn from past flooding of the lake on ongoing climate change and future water resources in the desert.
AI Capabilities to Turn Geospatial Satellite Imagery
Research by Eniola Onatayo (2025) The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) with remote sensing technologies presents a transformative approach to disaster monitoring and rapid response. As natural disasters become increasingly frequent and severe due to climate change, the need for effective real-time monitoring systems has never been more critical.
Unmanned underwater vehicles and dual use remote sensing applications
The increasing demand for advanced technologies in dual use scientific exploration and military operations has led to significant advancements in unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs). These versatile systems have become indispensable for conducting a variety of maritime missions, including environmental monitoring, resource exploration and defense-related applications. (Roh et al 2025)
The marriage of remote sensing and AI in disaster monitoring
Research by Eniola Onatayo (2025) The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) with remote sensing technologies presents a transformative approach to disaster monitoring and rapid response. As natural disasters become increasingly frequent and severe due to climate change, the need for effective real-time monitoring systems has never been more critical.
Health Facility Location Analysis
This study by Virtriana et al 2025 looks at changes in the demand for healthcare facilities in West Java by 2030. It uses both static and dynamic data processed at 30×30 metre intervals across West Java. Dynamic parameter extrapolation uses data from 2000 to 2018 using random forest machine learning. The results show changing need and identifies suitable locations for healthcare facility sites.
Newsletter February 2025
NEWSLETTER
Welcome to the first edition of our new monthly newsletter. You can read it here.
Satellites and Machine Learning Techniques
This study (Rana et al 2025) of land features in Vehari, Pakistan, uses remote sensing satellite imagery and machine learning to classify and analyse changes in land cover and land use between 1990 and 2025. It uses data from multispectral satellite images along with corresponding ground truth data, for training and validation of ML models. The study concludes that ML techniques, when integrated with remote sensing data, provide an effective means for monitoring and analysing land cover and land use.
Remote Sensing and Snow Avalanches
Snow avalanches, one of the most severe natural hazards in mountainous regions, pose significant risks to human lives, infrastructure, and ecosystems. As climate change accelerates shifts in snowfall and temperature patterns, it is increasingly important to improve our ability to monitor and predict avalanches.
Our Partners and Journal Publishers
As a member you get free online access to these journals worth over £1000! If you don’t already have access. Just ask us: office@rspsoc.org.uk