RaumZeit | ESA Space Solutions

Objectives of the service

The aim of the RaumZeit project is to address the key problems faced by forest owners and companies affected by the EU Deforestation Regulation. Forest owners struggle with timely and cost-effective monitoring of forest health, while companies need reliable tools to ensure compliance with deforestation regulations to avoid fines and reputational damage. RaumZeit provides a solution through advanced monitoring systems utilizing high-resolution satellite imagery and artificial intelligence. LiveEO offers large-scale vitality analysis for forests and precise deforestation monitoring for supply chains. Real-time insights delivered via user-friendly web and mobile applications enable proactive forest management and regulatory compliance. The activity's objectives are to develop and refine these monitoring solutions, validate them through pilot projects, and prepare for market launch and commercialization.

Users and their needs

The RaumZeit project targets user communities in, e.g., Europe, the United States, Canada, and Latin America. The primary users include forest owners, companies affected by the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), and investment firms.

Companies Affected by EUDR:
- Needs:
  - Accurate deforestation monitoring
  - Easy geolocation data submission
  - Automated and scalable supply chain data collection
  - Actionable insights for compliance
- Challenges:
  - Complexity of long supply chains
  - Incomplete and inaccurate data
  - High costs of manual compliance checks
Investment Companies:
- Needs:
  - Scalable remote due diligence
  - Continuous vitality monitoring for investment evaluation
  - Detailed forest inventory for asset assessment
- Challenges:
  - Ensuring scalability and accuracy of remote solutions
  - Integrating advanced monitoring with existing processes

The project addresses these needs through automated satellite-based monitoring, AI-driven data analysis, and user-friendly web and mobile applications.

Service/ system concept

AI-driven data analysis. Key features include automated geolocation data submission, scalable supply chain data collection, and actionable compliance insights. This allows forest owners to manage resources more efficiently, companies to ensure compliance with the EU Deforestation Regulation, and investment firms to perform remote due diligence and asset assessment.

EUDR compliance entails providing evidence that no deforestation has taken place since 2020 in areas where raw materials (cocoa, coffee, rubber, timber and cattle) used to produce commodities are produced. The system works by collecting Sentinel-1 satellite images of selected areas and assembles cloud-free mosaics of said areas, representing baseline (2020) and present state. The areas are then analyzed using region-specific machine learning models to accurately identify and differentiate deforestation events from other types of land-use changes such as harvesting. Users access this information through web and mobile applications, which provide detailed reports that are directly connected to the EU TRACES system.

System Architecture

Data Collection:
- Satellites capture high-resolution images of the Earth.
Data Processing:
- Images are sent to cloud servers where AI algorithms analyze them for specific indicators such as vegetation health and deforestation.
Data Integration:
- Processed data is integrated into user-friendly applications.
User Access:
- Users access real-time insights and detailed reports via web and mobile apps.

Space Added Value

RaumZeit leverages optical Sentinel-1 satellite imagery supplied by ESA. These space assets offer continuous, low-cost data, crucial for monitoring large and remote areas effectively for cost-sensitive customers. The integration of AI-powered analysis with these diverse data sources provides superior accuracy compared to open-source models in detecting deforestation, and thus compliance with EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).

Added Value:

Value:
- Ensured compliance with the EU Deforestation Regulation.
- Reduced costs of compliance through automated monitoring.
- High accuracy in deforestation and forest degradation analysis.
Problems Solved:
- Risk of non-compliance leading to fines and reputational damage.
- Difficulty in obtaining product origin data due to complex supply chains.
- High costs and inefficiency of manual compliance checks.
Bundles of Products/Services:
- Automated deforestation monitoring.
- Integration of compliance data into existing systems.
- Web applications for compliance reporting and monitoring.
Customer Needs Satisfied:
- Reliable and accurate deforestation monitoring.
- Cost-effective compliance solutions.
- Easy integration of data into existing systems.

Current Status

end-to-end software service aimed at enterprises affected by the EUDR regulation. Currently, our TradeAware tech team employs 3 product managers and 12 tech positions. We have grown the TradeAware Sales and Marketing team to a headcount of 12 who are engaging with a fast growing number of qualified leads (600-1000 monthly). Since launch, TradeAware has secured 12 customer contracts outside of pilot activities, with a total value of € 1.1 million, both of which we expect to grow massively as the Regulation comes into force in December 2025.

As of July 2025, the project has successfully passed the Final Review within the ESA BASS framework.