Urban disaster risk reduction via space based solutions

In 2019 alone, natural disasters affected 100 million people and caused billions in economic damage. The UN Urban DRR initiative aims to reduce natural disaster risks in urban areas worldwide using EO and satellite location data and UAVs along with live mapping of risk assessments.

Source: UNDRR

Urban DRR aims to provide operational space-based solutions to help reduce the risk and impact of natural disasters in urban areas worldwide. The objective is to apply space based solutions into an innovative framework that contributes to disaster risk reduction for a very low investment cost, using smartphones and crowd-sourcing, free EO data, satellite location data, small and friendly UAVs along with live mapping of risk assessments. Three types of users are defined: Operational users will collect, manage and act upon data, and are essential in preparing response actions via training; Strategic users act on longer term risk reduction, including raising awareness among governments and relevant institutions; Financial users are focused on how the system can help reduce the cost of disaster, how risks can be better managed and how costs of recovery can best be estimated and processed.