The UK rail infrastructure operator wants to create an integrated system that combines interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) – which can monitor ground deformation at very high temporal and spatial resolution – with its existing asset data. InSAR could be used to alert Network Rail to areas that show instability based on their movement history.
Network Rail has already used a variety of large scale remotely sensed data since 2014, when a national aerial survey captured high resolution aerial imagery, lidar and near infra-red data from a helicopter. This data was captured during the summer months and provided Network Rail with a comprehensive view of vegetation. Network Rail is now looking beyond airborne remote sensing to gather data that provides insights into ground movements across and beyond its ownership boundaries. It published a periodic indicative notice on 23 October to invite InSAR service providers to submit proposals including indicative costs for a trial of the solution. The response deadline for this information request is 13 November 2023.
