Analysis of visibility at railroad crossings

Understanding Climate Change and Urban Heat Island Effects and Taking Action

The Challenge:
High Risk at Unmanned Railroad Crossings

Railroad crossings are critical points in railway networks where tracks intersect with roads and sidewalks. Passive railroad crossings—those without automatic gates or warning signals—pose the greatest risk. Safety at these crossings depends entirely on the caution of road users, which makes them particularly dangerous.

Key Facts:

There are over 43,000 unguarded railroad crossings in the EU (Source: UNECE Statistical Database, 2020)
More than 9,000 in Germany alone (Source: Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), 2023)
Poor visibility at these crossings significantly increases the risk of accidents

To improve safety, regular inspections are essential to ensure a clear line of sight between roads and paths in the designated areas.

Our project on this topic:

Space 4 Level Crossing

Space-based innovative solutions for safety at railroad crossings.

The solution: Combination of satellite data and on-board sensors

Our innovative monitoring approach integrates satellite data and onboard sensor technology to enable a cost-effective, scalable, and efficient inspection process.

Step-by-step monitoring process:

1. Initial screening using satellite data

Large-scale, regular evaluations (e.g., every two months)
Identification of intersections with obstructed visibility
Cost-effective and independent of on-site operations

2. Selection of critical railroad crossings

Operators review flagged crossings

Decision on a further detailed inspection

3. Use of on-board sensors

High-resolution imaging and precise visibility analysis
Installed on trains for practical, real-world evaluation

4. Evaluation and Decision-Making

Data analysis to identify necessary measures
Informed decision-making regarding security measures

5. On-site safety measures

Implementation of remedial measures (e.g., removal of vegetation)
Ensuring long-term visibility and risk mitigation

By using this hybrid approach, rail operators can improve safety at passive level crossings while optimizing resources and minimizing operational disruptions.

Projects and case studies related to geoanalytics:

SPRINT4EO is bringing disruptive technologies to Earth observation through short, lean research sprints coordinated by OHB-DS. The ESA project relies on agile prototypes, evidence-based results, and a roadmap for scaling.

Digital Twin Earth Observation for Energy Risks – Predicting the impacts of variable power generation from photovoltaic systems, as well as operational risks for large PV systems due to extreme conditions.

THEA: Support for ESA's Copernicus Security Services is an innovative project that uses advanced Earth observation technologies to enhance the Copernicus Security Services.

Does this sound interesting to you and your company?

Then please contact us.