A research and development company, X Development, has been working on a prototype geolocation and georectification technology powered by artificial intelligence. This cutting-edge technology aims to enhance the National Guard’s awareness and analysis capabilities in response to natural disasters.
The prototype, known as Bellwether, utilizes AI to determine the positioning of Civil Air Patrol (CAP) aerial images received. The technology can also identify and label critical infrastructure within these images, even when they show significant damage or changes to the landscape. This feature allows the National Guard to react quickly in the aftermath of a natural disaster.
Master Sgt. Kenneth Houck of the Georgia Air National Guard highlighted Bellwether’s ability to drastically reduce the time spent analyzing CAP imagery from days to seconds. With this speed improvement, the Guard can respond faster than ever before during critical moments following a natural disaster.
DIU Senior Scientist and Program Manager for Remote Sensing Nirav Patel praised Bellwether’s effectiveness in interpreting aerial images taken from different perspectives. This feature streamlines response times and supports 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.