OREANDA-NEWS. July 02, 2015. Climate change, pollution and the depletion of natural resources threaten the health of the planet. Faced with these prospects, attention to the impact of human activities on the environment and on territories is increasing, and as a result the need for innovative systems to limit waste, reduce pollution, avoid the diseconomies linked to rapid and disorganised growth, new models of sustainable development for the benefit of existing and above all future generations, is increasingly urgent.

Finmeccanica, global player in high-technology in aerospace, defence and security, besides being able to boast a wealth of innovative technology solutions to meet the challenges associated with sustainable development, is at the forefront of the development of highly efficient products and is at the cutting-edge in terms of environmental impact.

It is the experience of the Group that is focus of a conference organised by Finmeccanica entitled: "We protect our Earth from above: from satellites to drones", which is being held today at Expo Milano 2015 with the support of the Ministry of Environment and Protection of Land and Sea and the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forestry.

“Finmeccanica – said Chief Executive and General Manager Mauro Moretti – has a portfolio of technologies and products that effectively meet the challenges associated with the development and sustainable management of the environment, ecosystems and territories, ensuring the correct supervision of natural resources, air quality and water and food production. Technologies and expertise in the various business sectors of the Group – added Moretti – converge into integrated operating systems which are involved in all stages of the management of exceptional environmental events. From analysis of the situation and the data, to risk assessment and the extent of damage, the simulation of scenarios of intervention, the coordination of emergency operations, with the objective of minimizing the impact on territories, structures and individuals.”

In this area, the Group boasts technologies ranging from satellite systems for earth observation and geo-location through radar and sensors, systems for secure communication with aircraft and helicopters for operations in the territory, and unmanned aircraft for surveillance operations, identification and intelligence.
These technologies have enabled Finmeccanica to lead successful missions, which have become best practice internationally. Today, for example, it is possible to use satellite remote sensing and radar and sensors for the creation of increasingly accurate weather forecasts, or the satellite monitoring of marine protected areas or high landslide risk, also through hyperspectral imaging. It is possible to capture images and data from airborne sensors, integrated on helicopters, aircraft or unmanned systems, which enable the qualitative assessment and detection of cases of water, air and land pollution, or use satellite imagery for mapping farmland, crops and forest areas.

The world market for satellite services is estimated at about €33 billion per year for the next five years, and is seeing strong growth in all its segments. In particular the market for so-called geo-information, which includes solutions and systems for environmental monitoring and critical infrastructure, is estimated at more than €5 billion per year globally, representing the segment with the highest growth rate, accounting for more than 9% per year over the next decade.

The field of Remotely Piloted Aerial Systems is considered, for the future, one of the most dynamic within aerospace, with a total cost of approximately €45 billion over the next decade and an annual growth rate of over 5% in the same period.
Such systems may find increasing application in areas of public utility, although in view of their extensive use, the certification requirement in non-segregated airspace remains to be defined. Finmeccanica