NASA trains Bhutanese officials on satellite data analysis

Sri Ram

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has conducted a four-day Applied Remote Sensing Training Program (ARSET) in Bhutan to build capabilities, improve land use planning and enhance disaster monitoring.

Manish Rai, Associate Analyst, Innovation and Technology Department, DHI, Emphasize that the training focuses on capacity building and learning Google Earth Engine and advanced machine learning algorithms.

These skills are critical to effectively utilizing domestic satellite data.

A DHI official said the training covered methods of using satellite data to generate land, water and disaster-related products. It also teaches participants how to use existing products to assess land use change, manage natural resources and understand climate change impacts.

Tony King, NASA program manager, said the U.S. State Department funded NASA with $1.5 million to visit Bhutan and build science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) capabilities.

U.S. State Department funds are allocated to various projects, with $500,000 going to the SERVIR, DEVELOP and GLOBE projects and $50,000 earmarked for ARSET training in Bhutan.

Tony Kim mentioned that NASA’s project started in October 2019 and is expected to last until September 2024.

The ARSET training took place over four days from May 13 to May 16, 2024.

During the training, students learned how to use Google Earth Engine to access free data from satellites such as LANDSAT, MODIS and Sentinel.

GovTech’s Sangay Pelzang highlighted the advantages of using Google Earth Engine and programming skills, noting that government agencies often rely on standalone software with limited functionality.

He stressed that the focus of the training is on leveraging existing data to address specific needs, enabling organizations to improve their processes.

Officials from various agencies including the Government Science and Technology Agency, National Land Commission Secretariat, Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, Institute of Science and Technology, Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources and DHI participated in the four-day course.

Manish Rai said the organizations were selected based on their ongoing work and potential to leverage remote sensing technology in their respective fields.

The training was held at the Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck Super Manufacturing Laboratory and was attended by more than 50 participants.