We are happy to announce the return of the Remote Sensing in Disasters Community of Practice (REDICOP) (formerly known as the Remote Sensing Innovation Working Group – RSIWG), which will be co-organized by MIT Lincoln Laboratory (MIT LL) and New Light Technologies (NLT).

REDICOP`s mission is to make remote sensing advancements available to, and useful for, the emergency management community, and to bridge the gap between theoretical research, applied research, and operations. It brings together partners from Federal, State, and local agencies, public sector research groups, NGOs, academia, and the private sector, to advance the use of remote sensing technologies and analytical methods for disaster management.

The main objectives of REDICOP are:

• To build a collaborative community of theory and practice around remote sensing in emergency management.
• To enable the advancement of remote sensing technologies and products for applications in emergency management.
• To develop guidelines, standards, and workflows that enable emergency managers to use remote sensing technologies and products effectively.

The first meeting of REDICOP will be virtual, and will take place on Tuesday August 29th, 2023 at 1pm-2:30pm EDT. During this meeting, we will discuss preparations for the 2023 hurricane season among the remote sensing disaster management community. A keynote presentation by FEMA’s Response Geospatial Office (RGO) will be followed by a lightning round where participants are invited to discuss the role disaster remote sensing plays or could play in their organization, including operational uses, data, and research. 

Participants from all sectors are invited to join. Those who wish to introduce their organization during the lightning round should prepare a 1-2 minute Google or PowerPoint slide that can be shared with meeting notes.