OPERA Project

OPERA (OPerational Eo-based RAinfall-runoff forecast) “Civil defense from floods” is a Pilot Project realized in the ASI – Italian Space Agency framework program for the development of applications for the management of natural and human induced hazards.

The End User is the Office for the Hydrogeologic and Anthropic Risks – Central Functional Centre Service – of the Civil Protection Department.

The enterprise team is led by the COS(OT) Consortium, established in 2002 to the purpose of the “Development of Industrial Districts for Earth Observation”, in cooperation with a series of scientific partners .

OPERA is targeted to cover the role of Downstream Service for all the many national components of the GMES services for the various emergencies.

Following the general institutional design of the Italian civil protection system, the role of Downstream Service Provider is covered by the partner CIMA Research Foundation, being the National Competence Centre for the inundation risk. Products realization within this framework is achieved with various contributions from both private and public sectors.

OPERA directly interfaces with DEWETRA, the reference operative platform of the Civil Protection Department, through which the many products are integrated within a larger suite of information.

On top of the SAR imagery provided by the COSMO-SkyMed satellite constellation, OPERA directly integrates in real time many other satellite data, in particular from all the flying optical and radar sensors which form the reference space segment within the GMES Emergency Response activities.