SARFDAS

Synthetic Aperture Radar Forest Disturbance Alert System

Solution Application

SARFDAS Synthetic Aperture Radar Forest Disturbance Alert System

Open Source

Seeing the Forest through the Clouds

The Synthetic Aperture Radar Forest Disturbance Alert System (SARFDAS) is a powerful tool for detecting forest disturbances, integrating state-of-the-art technologies, automation, and human-based verification in a clean web interface for more timely and accurate decision-making and field response. SARFDAS leverages Synthetic Aperture Radar from the European Space Agency to identify forest disturbances even under inclement conditions when multispectral satellite imagery is patchy.

Technical Data

System Capabilities

System Support

SARFDAS Application

Validating Deforestation with SARFDAS

The Latest Tech for Resource Planners Worldwide

SAFDAS uses convolutional neural networks coupled with transfer learning. This architecture enables users to overcome training data limitations and train the model with region-specific information. Validated alerts are vital in establishing trust with end users, facilitating reliable information dispatch to the field, and enabling unbiased area estimations. This reliability aids in effective resource allocation and fosters accurate responses to forest disturbances. SARFDAS was created by SIG and was tested in Palawan, in the Philippines, and is currently being adapted for use with SERVIR SEA.