The Very High-resolution Radar & Optical Data Assessment (VH-RODA) 2026 Workshop will be held in ESA-ESRIN, Frascati (Italy), from 16-20 November 2026.
The 7th Edition of the VH-RODA Workshop will provide an open forum (for the new space, commercial and institutional space sectors) to present and discuss about the current status and future developments related to Earth Observation (EO) data quality, calibration and validation of space-borne very high-resolution SAR, Optical, and atmospheric constellations, sensors and data products, with a dedicated focus on commercial EO data providers and related Cal/Val activities, synergies between optical, SAR and atmospheric communities, presentation of standards and best practices for data quality.
Workshop Topics
- Calibration Techniques (requirements, definitions, database, methodologies)
- Calibration Sites (cross-Cal/Val, intercalibration, field campaigns)
- Fiducial Reference Measurements
- Analysis Ready Data, Digital Elevation Models and Ground Control Points
- Quality Control, Product Validation, and Best Practices
- EO Data Veracity and Certification Approaches
- Processing and Algorithms (including Artificial Intelligence for Cal/Val)
- Cal/Val and Data quality for Constellations and Big Data
- Calibration of Future Missions (Innovative instrument concepts)
"New Workshop Topic: EO Data Veracity and Certification Approaches"
Although traditionally regarded as a highly reliable source, satellite imagery is increasingly vulnerable to sophisticated alterations and cyber threats. In an era marked by the rise in fake news and widespread use of AI, ensuring the veracity of EO data has become vital. Building trust into EO supply chains requires evaluation of the provenance and authenticity of EO data and products. Additionally, comprehensive Data Certification frameworks/schemes are increasingly needed to validate and certify the accuracy, reliability, and fitness-for-purpose of EO satellite data. Utilizing standards like QA4EO, ESA employs rigorous calibration and validation (Cal/Val) techniques alongside Fiducial Reference Measurements to ensure dataset traceability. This process builds user trust and scientific integrity across the Earth Observation community, representing one of the baseline elements potentially underpinning a more comprehensive Certification Scheme.
This session invites contributions on all aspects of EO data certification and veracity, methodologies to certify data quality, to detect and protect against interference, and approaches to guarantee the veracity of EO data.