A research and development company, X Development, is currently working on a revolutionary geolocation and georectification technology powered by artificial intelligence. This cutting-edge technology is set to enhance the National Guard’s awareness and analysis capabilities in response to natural disasters.
The prototype, dubbed Bellwether, uses AI to determine the positioning of Civil Air Patrol aerial images received. It also identifies and labels critical infrastructure within these images, even when they show significant damage or changes to the landscape. This capability allows the National Guard to act swiftly in the aftermath of a natural disaster.
Master Sgt. Kenneth Houck of the Georgia Air National Guard emphasized Bellwether’s ability to drastically reduce the time spent analyzing CAP imagery from days to seconds. This speed improvement enables the Guard to respond faster than ever before during critical moments following a natural disaster.
DIU Senior Scientist and Program Manager for Remote Sensing Nirav Patel lauded Bellwether’s effectiveness in interpreting aerial images taken from different perspectives. This feature helps streamline response times and support those impacted by disasters.
Bellwether was developed in response to a 2022 DIU solicitation on behalf of the National Guard, which sought AI-powered technologies capable of processing electro-optical aerial images. With its advanced capabilities, Bellwether is poised to revolutionize how the National Guard responds to natural disasters in the future.