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Satellite leak detection uses radar to locate & analyses moisture leaking from underground pipes, monitoring large potable water networks, over time measuring pipe deficiency.
About
ASTERRA provides a number of industries with intelligence and insights from beneath the surface of their largest installations. Without breaking ground, ASTERRA uses patented algorithms and artificial intelligence to detect leaks, assess pipes, and locate moisture near major installations. The core technology on which ASTERRA is based was first applied in the search for underground water on Mars and other planets. Lauren Guy, the geophysicist and entrepreneur who developed the approach, quickly recognised that if it could work so far away, it could be even more effective here on Earth. The water was closer, the need more immediate, and the technology had the potential to solve a number of critical problems. In 2016, leak detection in underground water systems became the first commercially used application. From an orbiting satellite, a band of the radio spectrum penetrated the Earth’s surface; and an algorithm, fine-tuned to detect treated drinking water, revealed underground leaks as small as 0.5 litres per minute.In 2021, Utilis named this family of products ASTERRA, from Astra, Latin for stars; Asterion, the Greek river deity, and Terra, on which we live. Current ASTERRA products available by subscription are MasterPlan, Recover, and EarthWorks, for pipeline assessment, leak detection, and infrastructure assessment.
Key Benefits
Reduce potable water leakageOver 100k verified leaks found via Recover product globallyIncrease efficiency in pumping waterReduce carbon footprint by removing the carbon emissions associated with leakageFind early signs of leakage or hard to find leakage that may not be visible through other techniquesGlobal coverage of productsLarge scale pipe networks can be analysed easily Field leak investigation teams available inhouse to action data and insight providedWhole pipe network asset health deterioration model and condition assessment based on measured data
Applications
ASTERRA EarthWorks, MasterPlan, and Recover are effective solutions our customers can use to meet the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The UN has established 17 Sustainable Development Goals as a “shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future.” ASTERRA Recover locates and analyses moisture leaking from underground pipes so that repairs can be planned and expedited. With Recover, entire city-wide systems for drinking water and wastewater can be monitored and analysed. Even leaks that are non-surfacing or have left no surface evidence at all are easily located. Ground crews can then be used with maximum efficiency, digging to repair the leaks that Recover has found rather than digging to look.ASTERRA MasterPlan uses a patented algorithm that was developed over five years from thousands of verified leak points within hundreds of satellite passes. By adding deployable pipe deficiency to your asset management plan, MasterPlan provides a valuable level of refinement to pipe replacement planning models or water system master plans. MasterPlan is compatible with all GIS-based asset planning model tools and easily integrates with attribute data such as pipe age, material, and work orders from surfacing leaks.