Slovak Investment and Trade Development Agency organized an expert online discussion focused on the use of satellite applications during the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as crisis situations in general. An online international discussion focused on the ever-growing market of space applications took place on Friday, July 10, with special emphasis on their use in crisis situations. Emmanuele Pajot, Secretary-General EARSC, Hannes Dekeyser, Management Consultant GNSS.asia, William Ricard, Space Practice Manager PwC Advisory, Giorgio Licciardi, Telecommunications Engineer Edoardo Amaldi Foundation, and Michal Brichta, Team Leader for SARIO Diversification Services discussed the potential of these applications as well as their use in specific projects. The speakers agreed that Earth observation data, as well as location and navigation services, can be widely used and contribute to the creation of new useful services, whether for the field of industry, public administration, or for end-users. As the evidence stands the current crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Satellite applications contribute to the acceleration and improved efficiency of crisis management within state institutions (assessment of site safety concerning health risks and natural elements or mandatory quarantine enforcement), as well as of the provision of essential services to the general public (online hospital and doctor services, streets disinfection, delivery of supplies to households using drones).During the discussion, several inspiring projects from Europe and Asia were presented, and the speakers also addressed the topic of further development and trends within the satellite applications sector on both continents. According to the speakers, the expected trends for the near future include, for example, the continuing overall growth of the satellite application market as well as the growth of the availability of satellite data and services, which will create new opportunities, especially for software companies. However, companies have to reckon with strong competition, which increases the need for high-quality projects and the sustainability of their business models.
