Forest Inventory Management (FIM)

Forest Inventory Management (FIM) is a satellite analytics solution from Synspective for monitoring forests and vegetation remotely over wide areas. Surveying large forests on foot or by image interpretation is expensive and slow, and many forests remain unmanaged because they are hard to reach. FIM applies remote sensing and machine learning to synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery to estimate tree height and biomass, classify forest types, detect logging and deforestation, and produce the data needed to calculate CO2 absorption for carbon credits. Because SAR sees through cloud and darkness, monitoring works in all weather conditions, day or night, and Synspective states it costs less than other remote sensing services.

Synspective's published example uses time-series SAR intensity and coherence to measure cumulative logged area, which it describes as an input for alerts to forest owners about abnormal work progress or illegal logging; a geotag option helps owners follow reforestation after harvest. Synspective also states that FIM helps companies monitor the supply of timber from the forest onward and helps forest owners keep timber production sustainable. Customer sensor data such as LiDAR, ground IoT devices or GPS can be integrated to refine results. Clients can use FIM through Synspective's solution platform, which includes a statistical report dashboard, or as self-managed software.

Synspective, which operates its own StriX SAR satellite constellation, lists paper manufacturers, forestry companies, oil and gas companies, trading companies, and governments and municipalities as FIM's target sectors.