Follow the FIA2026 discussion on the big Earth Observation sector question: now we have unprecedented access to EO data, how to turn it into meaningful action?
How Earth Observation, AI and analytics are transforming data into
decision-ready intelligence
July 2026
Donna Lyndsay, Interim Climate Services Development Manager, Space4Climate, joined an expert panel on the Space Zone Theatre stage at Farnborough International Airshow on July 22nd – designated Impact On Earth day at the world-famous event
One of the most thought-provoking discussions in the Space Zone Theatre explored a critical question facing the entire Earth Observation (EO) sector: now that we have unprecedented access to EO data, how do we turn it into meaningful action?
The panel, ‘EO to Action: Turning Earth Data into Decisions’ brought together leaders from across industry, academia, space agencies and climate services to examine how EO is evolving from a source of information into a powerful decision-making tool.
Expertly moderated by Sabrina Alam, Space Lead at the University of Luxembourg’s Technology Transfer Office, and Matter Space & Defence, and former Space4Climate colleague, I joined fellow speakers:
- Charlie Candy, Chief Revenue Officer and UK Managing Director, Planet
- Danielle Edwards, VP Commercial Satcom, Open Cosmos
- Dr Giuseppe Borghi, Head of Φ-lab Division, ESA
Together, we explored how organisations can move beyond simply collecting data to generating trusted intelligence that drives real-world outcomes.
The EO challenge has changed
For decades, one of the biggest barriers to EO adoption was access to data. Today, that challenge looks very different.
With constellations of satellites delivering continuous streams of imagery, environmental measurements and geospatial information, the issue is no longer whether we can observe Earth reliably and in sufficient detail. The issue is how we can engage organisations in making sense of the vast amounts of information and trusting to use it to make better decisions.
The panel agreed that value is increasingly defined not by the quantity of data available, but by the quality of insights produced.
Decision-makers do not need more dashboards, maps or reports. They need actionable intelligence that can be trusted, understood and integrated into existing workflows.
Whether responding to climate risks, managing infrastructure, monitoring supply chains or supporting national security operations, users are seeking answers rather than datasets.
Giuseppe highlighted that it’s a last mile problem, removing the barriers to uptake is the final stage the industry needs to address.
Bridging the gap between insight and impact
Despite rapid advances in EO technology, a persistent gap remains between generating insights and achieving operational outcomes.
Many organisations have experimented with EO through pilot projects and demonstration programmes. However, moving from successful pilots into everyday operational use remains a challenge. Referring to the Jurassic Park quote ‘… scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn’t stop to think if they should…’ Danielle highlighted that even the most innovative idea, developed by highly skilled experts in a room full of whiteboards, remains just an idea unless there is a customer willing to adopt it and pay for it. True impact comes from solving real-world problems, not simply generating concepts.
The discussion highlighted several common barriers:
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- Difficulty integrating EO products into existing business processes
- Limited understanding of user requirements makes it difficult to find the customer
- Challenges demonstrating return on investment, using high-end, expensive specifications, when ‘good enough’ is OK
- A lack of trusted decision-making frameworks
- Skills gaps among non-specialist users
Ultimately these barriers make it difficult for any customer to pay.
The consensus was clear: successful EO solutions are built around user needs rather than technological capability.
For widespread adoption, EO products must become easier to access, easier to understand and easier to incorporate into day-to-day decision-making. The data needs to become an invisible layer, in the way that GPS and GNSS are used daily without the majority of people knowing its data comes from space.
The most successful applications are often those where users do not need to become EO experts themselves. Instead, complex satellite data is translated into clear recommendations and operational actions.
AI’s growing role in Earth Observation
Artificial intelligence emerged as one of the most significant themes during the discussion.
As data volumes grow exponentially, AI is becoming essential for processing, analysing and extracting value from EO datasets at scale. Charlie highlighted how Planet Labs aim to provide access to their huge resource of historic and current data to Frontier AI models to enable natural language to be used to interrogate the data. An example could be questions around flooding, heat exposure, the best place for building resilient infrastructure. It would enable access directly within user applications via Agentic AI.
From automating image interpretation to identifying patterns and forecasting future conditions, AI has the potential to significantly increase the speed and accessibility of EO services.
However, the panel also emphasised that trust remains paramount.
For many applications, particularly those involving critical infrastructure, climate adaptation, emergency response or government decision-making, users need confidence in the outputs generated by automated systems. This is especially important if the UK is to benefit from the £3.5tn opportunity for growth and trade forecast in the global adaptation market in the report ‘Economic Opportunities of Climate Adaptation for the UK’, published on July 9th. Questions around explainability, transparency and accountability of EO-AI data are increasingly important. While AI can accelerate analysis, decision-makers still need to understand how conclusions have been reached and where uncertainties may exist.
I shared one of my priorities, which is meeting the demand from end users for standards to help them decide what can and should be used for critical decisions, and what is appropriate for their own risk appetite.
The panel shared the view that AI is a powerful tool to reduce the mundane, freeing up humans to examine the critical and areas of uncertainty.
The future is therefore unlikely to be a choice between humans and AI. Instead, it will be about combining the strengths of both, creating systems where automation enhances human expertise rather than replacing it.
A recurring theme throughout the discussion was the growing demand for climate intelligence. As climate change increasingly influences planning, investment and policy decisions, organisations require reliable, decision-ready information to understand risks and build resilience.
This is an area where EO is uniquely positioned to deliver value.
Drawing on Space4Climate’s portfolio of members’ case studies, I was keen to highlight the importance of translating scientific and environmental data into services that support practical decision-making. Again, we come back to the challenge being not simply providing climate information, but ensuring it can be used effectively by planners, businesses and policymakers.
Bridging the gap between climate science and operational action requires close collaboration between data providers, technology developers and end users.
Success comes when complex information is delivered in a way that directly supports evidence-based planning and long-term resilience.
Looking towards 2035
Perhaps the most exciting part of the conversation centred on the future of EO.
The panel envisaged a future where EO systems move beyond monitoring and reporting towards prediction, forecasting and decision support.
Advances in AI, digital twins, cloud computing and satellite capabilities are creating opportunities for near real-time intelligence that can help organisations anticipate events before they occur.
By 2035, users may expect decision-support systems that seamlessly combine EO data with other sources of information, automatically generating insights tailored to specific operational needs.
In this vision, EO becomes invisible to the end user. Rather than interacting directly with satellite products, organisations simply receive trusted recommendations and forecasts that support faster, better-informed decisions.
From observation to action
Our discussion highlighted a fundamental shift taking place across the EO sector. The future will not be defined by who can collect the most data. It will be defined by who can create – and evidence – the greatest impact.
As Earth Observation capabilities continue to mature, success will increasingly depend on delivering trusted, decision-ready intelligence that helps organisations to act with confidence.
Our conversation at Farnborough International Airshow 2026 demonstrated that the satellite Earth Observation community is already moving in this direction. The next chapter for EO is not about observation alone. It is about enabling action, improving resilience and supporting smarter decisions across society.
And that may be the most valuable insight that Earth Observation can deliver.
