From Left: Rafal Modrzewski, CEO of Iceye; Hasan AlHosani, CEO of Bayanat; and Ali Al Hashemi, Group CEO of Yahsat. Photo: Yahsat

Yahsat is teaming up with Bayanat and Iceye as it looks to build a national satellite remote sensing and Earth Observation (EO) capability within the United Arab Emirates to commercially address business opportunities in the local and global EO market. Yahsat announced the comprehensive collaboration, May 17.

Bayanat is a provider of AI-powered geospatial solutions. Yahsat and Bayanat are working together on a program that forms part of Yahsat’s partnership with Iceye, a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite manufacturer based in Finland. The expansion of Bayanat’s capabilities into the space sector positions the company to drive its growth strategy and become a prominent player in the industry.

Bayanat’s program aims to develop a constellation of at least five SAR Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites to provide a consistent data stream for end-to-end solutions for SAR applications. It will cover the entire value chain by leveraging the available synergies in Yahsat’s upstream and midstream capabilities, including its satellite infrastructure as well as the wide spectrum of its growing satellite-enabled solutions, and Bayanat’s downstream capabilities such as advanced AI and data analytics and will significantly enhance Bayanat’s commercial offerings by providing valuable geospatial insights to various industries in a timely and accurate manner.

“As part of Yahsat’s active role in empowering the space economy sector in line with the UAE’s Space Strategy 2030, we are pleased to collaborate with Bayanat on this ambitious program. Yahsat is committed to join forces with various commercial and government-related entities to strengthen the UAE’s leadership in the space sector in MENA region, supported by Yahsat’s world-class infrastructure and suite of innovative solutions. We are also advancing new segments such as earth observation, in-country manufacturing and building the national capacities in the space sector,” Ali Al Hashemi, Group CEO of Yahsat, said in a statement.