The UAE has begun training its latest cohort of Emiratis to equip them with the skills to use satellite data when finding practical solutions for issues such as environmental protection, national security and urban planning.
The Space Applications-Earth Observation programme, part of the National Space Academy run by the UAE Space Agency, is offering a 10-week course. The new cohort, comprising employees from both public and private sectors, held its first class on Tuesday.
“This is a hands-on programme that gives people something they can actually apply in their jobs,” academy manager Naser Al Rashedi told The National.
“Each of them will have developed a project based on a real-world problem from their field by the end of the programme.”
Last year’s graduates, for example, worked on projects such as assessing the health of mangroves using satellite data, insights that were later shared with environmental agencies.
Mr Al Rashedi said building a national workforce skilled in satellite data analytics will help support the UAE’s strategic goals, from monitoring climate change and preserving natural resources to strengthening food security and planning smarter cities.
Investing in space to power innovation
The UAE’s space programme has grown rapidly in recent years, with a strong focus on developing domestic expertise and technological capabilities.
The country launched its first UAE-built satellite, KhalifaSat, in 2018, and launched the MBZ-Sat, the region’s most advanced Earth observation satellite, this year.
Earth observation, a $7 billion market, uses satellite imagery and data to monitor the planet. It supports a range of applications, from tracking deforestation and pollution to detecting water leaks in urban areas and mapping agricultural trends.
The academy was launched in 2023 in partnership with Bayanat, a provider of geospatial data solutions that is now part of Space42, a newly formed AI-powered space tech company.
The academy offers two tracks, including one focused on satellite engineering and another on satellite data applications, such as the current Earth observation programme.
From satellites to real-world impact
This year’s Earth observation programme includes 28 participants, up from 18 in its first year.
The course blends lectures with project-based learning, in which participants work on challenges from their organisations.
Using geospatial data in everyday jobs can help organisations make smarter, data-driven decisions, from tracking environmental changes to improving infrastructure planning and emergency response, said Dr Prashanth Marpu, chief technology officer for smart solutions at Space42’s Bayanat division.
“You have to train people on using these technologies, and then also guide them in ways they can use that data in the real world and at their jobs,” Dr Marpu said.
The programme also feeds into Space42’s development of a Geo-Informatics and Analytics (GIQ) platform, a digital marketplace where organisations can access and use Earth observation data.
The goal is to foster a system that relies on space-based insights for national development.
Mohamed Amery, an AI engineer with Halcon – part of Edge Group’s missiles and weapons cluster – is taking part in this year's course. He said it could help in his ability to process aerial and satellite imagery for defence applications.
“I come from a military domain, so we usually try to implement AI smart systems that can be part of surveillance,” he said. “The programme gives a new perspective on how satellite data and AI can work together.”
Will the pound fall to parity with the dollar?
The idea of pound parity now seems less far-fetched as the risk grows that Britain may split away from the European Union without a deal.
Rupert Harrison, a fund manager at BlackRock, sees the risk of it falling to trade level with the dollar on a no-deal Brexit. The view echoes Morgan Stanley’s recent forecast that the currency can plunge toward $1 (Dh3.67) on such an outcome. That isn’t the majority view yet – a Bloomberg survey this month estimated the pound will slide to $1.10 should the UK exit the bloc without an agreement.
New Prime Minister Boris Johnson has repeatedly said that Britain will leave the EU on the October 31 deadline with or without an agreement, fuelling concern the nation is headed for a disorderly departure and fanning pessimism toward the pound. Sterling has fallen more than 7 per cent in the past three months, the worst performance among major developed-market currencies.
“The pound is at a much lower level now but I still think a no-deal exit would lead to significant volatility and we could be testing parity on a really bad outcome,” said Mr Harrison, who manages more than $10 billion in assets at BlackRock. “We will see this game of chicken continue through August and that’s likely negative for sterling,” he said about the deadlocked Brexit talks.
The pound fell 0.8 per cent to $1.2033 on Friday, its weakest closing level since the 1980s, after a report on the second quarter showed the UK economy shrank for the first time in six years. The data means it is likely the Bank of England will cut interest rates, according to Mizuho Bank.
The BOE said in November that the currency could fall even below $1 in an analysis on possible worst-case Brexit scenarios. Options-based calculations showed around a 6.4 per cent chance of pound-dollar parity in the next one year, markedly higher than 0.2 per cent in early March when prospects of a no-deal outcome were seemingly off the table.
Bloomberg
Tentative schedule of 2017/18 Ashes series
1st Test November 23-27, The Gabba, Brisbane
2nd Test December 2-6, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide
3rd Test Dcember 14-18, Waca, Perth
4th Test December 26-30, Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne
5th Test January 4-8, Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Ultra processed foods
- Carbonated drinks, sweet or savoury packaged snacks, confectionery, mass-produced packaged breads and buns
- margarines and spreads; cookies, biscuits, pastries, cakes, and cake mixes, breakfast cereals, cereal and energy bars;
- energy drinks, milk drinks, fruit yoghurts and fruit drinks, cocoa drinks, meat and chicken extracts and instant sauces
- infant formulas and follow-on milks, health and slimming products such as powdered or fortified meal and dish substitutes,
- many ready-to-heat products including pre-prepared pies and pasta and pizza dishes, poultry and fish nuggets and sticks, sausages, burgers, hot dogs, and other reconstituted meat products, powdered and packaged instant soups, noodles and desserts.
WTL%20SCHEDULE
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Who has lived at The Bishops Avenue?
- George Sainsbury of the supermarket dynasty, sugar magnate William Park Lyle and actress Dame Gracie Fields were residents in the 1930s when the street was only known as ‘Millionaires’ Row’.
- Then came the international super rich, including the last king of Greece, Constantine II, the Sultan of Brunei and Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal who was at one point ranked the third richest person in the world.
- Turkish tycoon Halis Torprak sold his mansion for £50m in 2008 after spending just two days there. The House of Saud sold 10 properties on the road in 2013 for almost £80m.
- Other residents have included Iraqi businessman Nemir Kirdar, singer Ariana Grande, holiday camp impresario Sir Billy Butlin, businessman Asil Nadir, Paul McCartney’s former wife Heather Mills.
Hunting park to luxury living
- Land was originally the Bishop of London's hunting park, hence the name
- The road was laid out in the mid 19th Century, meandering through woodland and farmland
- Its earliest houses at the turn of the 20th Century were substantial detached properties with extensive grounds
'The Batman'
Stars:Robert Pattinson
Director:Matt Reeves
Rating: 5/5
MATCH INFO
Champions League quarter-final, first leg
Ajax v Juventus, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)
Match on BeIN Sports
