In Norway, avalanches pose a risk to road users every year. Since much of the country is remote, knowing exactly where avalanches have blocked roads is a challenge for the authorities. However, ESA has recently shown that satellites could help. The Norwegian Public Roads Administration (NPRA) is responsible for the national road network. In the winter, one of their main challenges is to keep drivers safe from avalanches by closing and clearing roads.
However, monitoring the country for avalanche falls from the ground and air is costly and difficult because observation stations are sparse, especially in the remote mountainous regions.
NPRA have turned to space to see if satellites could offer a solution.
A pilot study called Innovators II–AvalRS was launched through ESA’s Earth Observation Data User Element programme to do just that.
