Robot camera network operating at 26,000m

The Swift network consists of ultra-high-resolution robotic cameras that fly into the air via balloons and continuously monitor weather conditions.

American startup Near Space Labs has reached a notable milestone by deploying its Swift network - AI-powered robot cameras that soar high above the ground thanks to weather balloons, Interesting Engineering reported on November 21. This achievement marks the establishment of the first stratospheric robot network providing ultra-high-resolution aerial imagery across the United States.

The Swift robot camera flies aloft thanks to a weather balloon. (Photo: Near Space Labs).

The high-resolution Swift robotic camera captures images accurately at distances of up to 7cm, matching or even surpassing the quality of traditional aerial surveying. Swift is emission-free and capable of capturing up to 1,000km2 ^of images per flight. Operating at altitudes of 18,000 - 26,000m, this compact autonomous robot weighs just 5.5kg.

The nationwide deployment and improved imaging quality of Near Space Labs is critical for the U.S. homeowner insurance industry, which experienced its worst crisis in decades in 2023, with losses exceeding $101 billion. These results were due in large part to the increased frequency and severity of weather events, including hurricanes, tornadoes, and wildfires.

The root cause of the crisis is the huge gap between the growing climate risks and insurers' ability to accurately assess them . 'Many insurers still rely on airborne data collection methods from the 1950s to assess climate risks in 2024,' said Rema Matevosyan, CEO of Near Space Labs.

Near Space Labs' new network will provide detailed, quarterly updates . This unprecedented frequency of updates will allow insurers to track changing weather conditions, assess risk more accurately, and price policies accordingly. This could allow them to return to markets they previously abandoned.

The Swift network has several advantages over satellites, drones, or airplanes. Weather balloons can reach twice the altitude of a cruise plane. 'Our balloons can take pictures from 800,000 drones in a single flight. The planes, on the other hand, snake around for weeks, capturing data that we can capture in a few hours. This means we can do it faster, better, and cheaper,' Matevosyan said.