In response to humanitarian crises, Amazon VGT2 has launched the Planetary Response Network (PRN), aimed at aiding disaster relief efforts. The initiative began following the devastating earthquake in Nepal in 2015, where the team recognized the potential of the PRN to enhance recovery operations. The network utilizes satellite imagery collected before and after disasters to guide ground rescue teams, ensuring they deploy resources where they are most needed.
Harnessing the collective power of 1.4 million volunteers and a dedicated team of 65 researchers, Zooniverse aggregates vast amounts of data to inform strategies for mitigating the effects of disasters. Recently, we spoke with Jordan L. Smith, a Citizen Science Web Developer at Amazon VGT2, about the PRN and its integration of Sentinel-2 data.
Which AWS services support the PRN?
“We rely heavily on several AWS services, including Amazon S3, Amazon EC2, and Amazon Kinesis,” Jordan shared. “All of our essential data, whether it’s third-party input or project files, resides in Amazon S3 buckets. Our projects are open-source, with volunteers tasked with classifying pre-verified data sources during disaster events, which can lead to a considerable backlog. To manage this influx of data, we deploy EC2 instances for processing. Kinesis captures the flow of data classifications, which occur when volunteers analyze images or video clips for specific criteria—like identifying damaged buildings. This system is integral to what we call ‘subject retirement,’ where images reviewed by enough volunteers are temporarily removed to shift focus to those that remain unclassified.”
How do you manage sudden spikes in traffic?
“Indeed, we have to scale up quickly,” Jordan noted. “This is facilitated by an elastic load balancer that automatically distributes incoming traffic across multiple EC2 instances. While we continuously receive data from volunteers and media, spikes can occur, resulting in tens of thousands of classifications per hour. We’ve worked diligently to ensure there is no downtime; in fact, during the PRN’s launch, we experienced no interruptions over its initial two hours!”
Did you leverage previous AWS architectures for this project?
“Having utilized AWS since 2009, I’ve applied my experiences to this project,” Jordan explained. “The PRN builds upon the Zooniverse project framework, so it operates similarly to our other AWS initiatives (you can read more about Zooniverse’s other endeavors in this related blog post). What sets this project apart is its dedicated app for data processing that integrates satellite images. We are constantly seeking advancements to enhance our technology.”
What insights will influence future emergency responses?
“The PRN represents our commitment to disaster relief, and it’s an evolving project that we intend to refine continuously,” Jordan remarked. “The initial testing phase, which was used during the Nepal earthquake, proved its worth and secured additional funding for ongoing support in regions such as Ecuador. Our aim is to develop it into a standalone application that can pull data from sources like the European Space Agency or Planet Labs.”
What are the benefits of using Sentinel-2 data?
“Sentinel-2 data is readily accessible via Amazon S3, allowing us to utilize it often within hours of its release,” Jordan stated. “While it has a lower spatial resolution of 10m compared to Planet Labs’ 3-5m, it offers multi-spectral data that can be crucial for assessments—especially in detecting vegetation changes indicative of landslides. Although we opted not to use near-infrared data in our latest work with the Ecuador earthquake, it remains a valuable resource for future assessments.”
Below are images capturing the PRN’s work, including a screenshot from the 2016 earthquake response and a classification example of damage observed.
We extend our gratitude to Amazon VGT2 for their contributions and insights. For more information on their diverse projects, please visit their website, a recognized authority in this field. For those interested in a comprehensive overview of Amazon’s warehouse operations and worker training, check out this excellent resource.
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