Business innovation symposium ‘At what price? IP-related thoughts on new business models for space information’

Abstract

Spatial data and imagery generators are set to become tomorrow's key players in the information society. This is why satellite owners and operators are examining new revenue-producing models for developing space-related products and services. The use and availability of broadband internet width and satellite data-based services will continue to increase in the future. With the capacity to deliver real time precision downstream data, space agencies and the satellite industry can respond to the demand for high resolution digital space information which, with the appropriate technology, can be integrated into a variety of web-based applications. 1 1 Some space data information products and services such as digital cartography, crop monitoring systems, through to oil exploration support and more are already available, see OECD Futures Project, The Commercialisation of Space and Space Infrastructure, 2003, available at 〈http://www.oecd.org/document/20/0,3343,en_2649_34815_1837844_1_1_1_1,00.html〉. At a time when the traditional roles of space agencies are becoming more hybrid, largely as a result of the greater drive towards commercial markets, new value-added markets for space-related information products are continuing to attract attention. This paper discusses whether traditional data policies on space data access and IP licensing schemes stand to remain the feasible prototype for distributing and marketing space data, and how this growth market might benefit from looking at an ‘up and running’ global IP management system already operating to manage end user digital demand. Preface The terminology describing the various types of spatial data and space-based information is not uniformly used within the various principles, laws and policies that govern space data. For convenience only this paper refers to primary or raw data gathered by the space-based industry as spatial or raw data, and the data as processed and sold on or distributed by ground-based companies as space information products and services. In practise, spatial data range from generic to specific data sets, digital topography, through to pictures and imagery services at various resolutions, with 3-D perspectives underway. 2 2 Principle I, UN Principles on Remote Sensing, UN Doc A/Res/41/65 (1986), distinguishes between primary data, processed data and analysed information. Others rely on generic terms, e.g. the European Union makes reference to ‘spatial data’ in its INSPIRE Directive, 2007/2/EC of 14 March establishing an infrastructure for spatial information in the European Community, OJ L 108/1 of 25 April 2007. The paper addresses general IP considerations relating to spatial data, with some reference to remote sensing itself. 3 3 Exact IP details will depend at all times on the final product and service in question.