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NA24OARX021G0035

Project Grant

Overview

Grant Description
Purpose: Technical abstract: Hydrosat is producing the highest spatiotemporal resolution global satellite thermal infrared data in existence.

The applications of such cutting-edge data are far-reaching with particular relevance to NOAA across areas of drought, agriculture, aquaculture, wildfire, and urban heat.

Our Phase I project enabled us to scope the potential technical impacts of our data across these areas (e.g., uncertainty reductions, ability to detect extremes) in addition to charting the relevant commercial opportunities.

In so doing, we generated high interest across these sectors culminating in letters of support, interest, and commitment for utilizing Hydrosat data and analytics in major institutional and societal applications.

Here, we propose to build on the success and results of Phase I towards maturing the commercial onramp of Hydrosat products, specifically focusing on the commercial and governmental institutions that provided letters of commitment.

Our Phase II project has three main objectives: 1) Apply a design-centered approach to map user/customer data requirements and decision-making; 2) Develop the data and product creation and delivery mechanisms to meet those requirements; and, 3) Evaluate the utility of our products to our customers through a quantitative impact assessment leading to the establishment of formal commercial relationships for long-term business.

Summary of the anticipated results and implications of the approach and the potential commercial applications of the research: Our Phase I results demonstrated that Hydrosat has significant potential to improve uncertainties and hotspot detections key to management and commercial operations across all five focus areas: drought, agriculture, aquaculture, wildfire, and urban heat.

For example, Hydrosat detects crop stress anomalies > four days before any other existing thermal product, and > ten days earlier than VNIR data for drought detection; this is critical for irrigation management and agricultural production, especially commercial differentiation.

Commercially, we identified the greatest market opportunities in the agricultural sector: there is simultaneously massive market value ($5T/Y) and large gains to be made through technology (49% yield increases).

Consequently, our letters of commitment focus on the agricultural sector across both industry and government.

Hydrosat signed a NDA with the US Department of Agriculture, who provided a strong letter of commitment in addition to a budget line for commercial satellite thermal data purchase ($500K/Y).

Companies such as 4EI and Suzano have started using Hydrosat test products.

We expect to work closely with these partners and more in Phase II, delivering data that meet their requirements.

We will assess the impact that we have on their own deliverables, and formalize contractual relations for sustainable growth and operations.
Awardee
Funding Goals
18 CLIMATE ADAPTATION AND MITIGATION 19 WEATHER-READY NATION 20 HEALTHY OCEANS 21 RESILIENT COASTAL COMMUNITIES AND ECONOMIES
Place of Performance
Washington, District Of Columbia 200362603 United States
Geographic Scope
Single Zip Code
Hydrosat was awarded Project Grant NA24OARX021G0035 worth $647,940 from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in September 2024 with work to be completed primarily in Washington District Of Columbia United States. The grant has a duration of 2 years and was awarded through assistance program 11.021 NOAA Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program. The Project Grant was awarded through grant opportunity FY24 NOAA SBIR Phase II.

SBIR Details

Research Type
SBIR Phase II
Title
Hydrosat: Commercial Onramp of Next-Generation Satellite Thermal Data for Major Societal Impact
Abstract
Hydrosat is producing the highest spatiotemporal resolution global satellite thermal infrared data in existence. The applications of such cutting-edge data are far-reaching with particular relevance to NOAA across areas of drought, agriculture, aquaculture, wildfire, and urban heat. Our Phase I project enabled us to scope the potential technical impacts of our data across these areas (e.g., uncertainty reductions, ability to detect extremes) in addition to charting the relevant commercial opportunities. In so doing, we generated high interest across these sectors culminating in letters of support, interest, and commitment for utilizing Hydrosat data and analytics in major institutional and societal applications. Here, we propose to build on the success and results of Phase I towards maturing the commercial onramp of Hydrosat products, specifically focusing on the commercial and governmental institutions that provided letters of commitment. Our Phase II project has three main objectives: 1) apply a design-centered approach to map user/customer data requirements and decision-making; 2) develop the data and product creation and delivery mechanisms to meet those requirements; and, 3) evaluate the utility of our products to our customers through a quantitative impact assessment leading to the establishment of formal commercial relationships for long-term business. Our Phase I results demonstrated that Hydrosat has significant potential to improve uncertainties and hotspot detections—key to management and commercial operations—across all five focus areas: drought, agriculture, aquaculture, wildfire, and urban heat. For example, Hydrosat detects crop stress anomalies > four days before any other existing thermal product, and > ten days earlier than VNIR data for drought detection; this is critical for irrigation management and agricultural production, especially commercial differentiation. Commercially, we identified the greatest market opportunities in the agricultural sector: there is simultaneously massive market value ($5T/y) and large gains to be made through technology (49% yield increases). Consequently, our letters of commitment focus on the agricultural sector across both industry and government. Hydrosat signed a NDA with the US Department of Agriculture, who provided a strong letter of commitment in addition to a budget line for commercial satellite thermal data purchase ($500K/y). Companies such as 4EI and Suzano have started using Hydrosat test products. We expect to work closely with these partners and more in Phase II, delivering data that meet their requirements. We will assess the impact that we have on their own deliverables, and formalize contractual relations for sustainable growth and operations.
Topic Code
9.4
Solicitation Number
NOAA-OAR-TPO-2024-2008239

Status
(Ongoing)

Last Modified 1/6/25

Period of Performance
9/1/24
Start Date
8/31/26
End Date
49.0% Complete

Funding Split
$647.9K
Federal Obligation
$0.0
Non-Federal Obligation
$647.9K
Total Obligated
100.0% Federal Funding
0.0% Non-Federal Funding

Activity Timeline

Interactive chart of timeline of amendments to NA24OARX021G0035

Transaction History

Modifications to NA24OARX021G0035

Additional Detail

Award ID FAIN
NA24OARX021G0035
SAI Number
NA24OARX021G0035-002
Award ID URI
None
Awardee Classifications
Small Business
Awarding Office
1305N2 DEPT OF COMMERCE NOAA
Funding Office
1333BR OFC OF PROG.PLANNING&INTEGRATION
Awardee UEI
S8NKKBKTLSN3
Awardee CAGE
88JE2
Performance District
DC-98
Modified: 1/6/25