21-05-2025
Wolverhampton university tackles water leakage with AI satellites
University researchers in Wolverhampton have been awarded £1.3m to use AI-driven satellite technology to help solve the costly and time-consuming process of detecting water South Staffs Water, the team will build, launch and operate a fleet of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) micro satellites, which can find leaks "with unprecedented efficiency and precision".Using AI techniques with high-resolution satellite imagery, researchers said they want to deliver faster, more accurate and cost-effective monitoring of costs are projected to be at least 10 times lower than current satellite-based methods, the university said.
Water loss is a persistent issue for the UK industry, with an estimated 19% of the supply lost before it reaches consumers, according to Water UK, costing £3.2bn annually across the utilities university said traditional detection methods, such as acoustic monitoring and tracer gas detection, are labour-intensive and inefficient, typically locating fewer than one leak per day per crew and costing between £250 and £2,000 per inspection.
Other satellite-based technologies have improved detection rates, but high operational costs and image refresh rates of between seven and 14 days still limit their the £1.3m funding from water regulation service Ofwat's Innovation Fund, the team said they can create high-frequency imaging and have fresh data every six hours with sharper resolution to pinpoint AI-powered detection then reduces costs and enables rapid deployment beyond the UK, the university Mohammad Patwary, director of the university's digital innovation and solution centre (DISC) and project lead, said: "This Ofwat initiated opportunity marks a major innovation leap for the UK, enhancing the water industry's efficiency and infrastructure longevity, while creating a platform for critical sectors, like energy, transport, and telecom, and positioning the UK as a leader in LEO satellite-driven innovation and productivity."The team will use six satellites as part of the project called Space Eye and liaise with several other water firms in the UK.
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