Modern remote sensing from space, which today offers spatial resolutions of up to 15 cm and, in principle, daily repeat rates, makes it possible to document changes to the Earth’s surface with a high degree of precision. This makes it possible to document the spatial manifestations of developments such as armed conflicts, refugee camps, population and settlement trends in border regions, the demolition of informal slum areas and similar phenomena. This lecture will highlight and critically examine the technological potential, risks and ethical concerns associated with this technology.

The integrity of the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) is increasingly threatened by intentional and unintentional disruptions, particularly jamming and spoofing. Such attacks are on the rise globally, degrading or preventing positioning using GNSS observations and impacting critical applications that rely on high-precision RTK and PPP methods. In addition, we are still experiencing the effects of the 11-year solar cycle. High ionospheric activity caused by the solar cycle disrupts GNSS signals and poses a significant challenge for surveyors. Learn how to protect your GNSS infrastructure from jamming and spoofing through a comprehensive, multi-layered defense architecture. We will show you practical strategies to ensure you can rely on GNSS systems even during severe interference. You will also discover how to mitigate the impact of high solar activity using Trimble technologies. We will present data and analyses on how to effectively monitor your equipment, minimize downtime, and sustainably increase your productivity—despite atmospheric disturbances.