Under the agreement, Airbus will contribute historic and future satellite imagery which Kx technology will process, interpret and manage. Technical, commercial, sales and marketing resources will be provided by both parties to assist in the commercialisation of the opportunities.
Data manipulation and information provision, stemming from increased volumes of Earth Observation data, provides significant commercial potential, with Kx and Airbus Defence and Space well-placed to lead this emerging market. Kx technology will be deployed in the time-critical processing and analysis of these increasing data volumes to make it easier, cheaper and faster for customers to access information. According to Transparency Market Research, the commercial satellite imaging market is expected to grow from $2.5 billion in 2014 to $6.5 billion in 2023.
It is anticipated that Kx and Airbus Defence and Space will collaborate with large corporates, research bodies and start-ups to help exploit this ground breaking technology in markets such as energy, rail/civil engineering, natural resources, maritime surveillance, agriculture, finance and facilities management.
Dr Anthony Denniss, Head of Solutions & Imagery Portfolio at Airbus Defence and Space, commented: “There are many valuable applications of satellite imagery across a range of industries, many of which are time sensitive and require powerful analytic processing. By combining our data and Kx technology we expect to be able to provide new and existing customers with unique and valuable insights.”
Brian Conlon, Chief Executive Officer of FD, commented: “Yet again Kx has proven its market-leading capabilities in regard to its ability to process very large datasets efficiently. We are excited about partnering with Airbus Defence and Space and the potential for innovative, scientific breakthroughs in multiple markets that can potentially arise from this initiative.”
