Natural disasters involve phenomena such as storms, floods and fires that can cause significant damage to the environment and to infrastructure and sectors that are essential to society, such as agribusiness, the oil and gas industry and mining, among many others. This is where monitoring becomes crucial, enabling farmers and companies to anticipate risks, guaranteeing more protection for their operations, as well as reducing economic losses in an agile and efficient manner.

With accurate, real-time data, monitoring becomes an essential tool for minimizing the consequences of natural disasters, promoting a more resilient and sustainable industry.

What is environmental monitoring?

Environmental monitoring refers to a set of practices and technologies used to observe, record, and analyze environmental variables that can impact large areas and human activity. This approach is essential for the management of natural resources and disaster prevention, especially in agricultural areas, oil and gas industries, and mining.

In this context, the importance of accurate, real-time data cannot be underestimated. Up-to-date information allows industries and authorities to make quick and informed decisions. In agribusiness, for example, a fire outbreak alert can enable producers to take immediate measures to protect their crops, livestock and equipment, reducing damage and preserving productivity in the long term.

Impact of natural disasters on agriculture

Natural disasters pose a significant threat to agriculture and can jeopardize food production, food security and the economy of various regions. 

According to the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations), global agricultural production lost 3.8 trillion dollars over 30 years due to natural disasters. This equates to an average loss of 123 billion dollars per year, or 5% of the annual global agricultural GDP.

Here in Brazil, the Northeast is a region plagued by frequent droughts, causing serious economic crises for farmers, which can result in migrations to other states and even job losses. In addition, in the south of Brazil in 2024, the population faced a historic flood in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, which caused significant damage to agriculture and livestock.

These facts show the importance of having monitoring systems and risk containment strategies to protect agriculture from the devastating consequences of natural disasters. Monitoring is an essential tool in preventing and mitigating damage from environmental incidents, acting on several fronts, from identifying and assessing risks to making quick and efficient decisions to contain further losses.

Intelligent monitoring to detect fire outbreaks

Fires are one of the main disasters that can affect crops and harm agribusiness. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to have intelligent monitoring to detect potential sources before they become large fires.

The ALTAVE HARPIA system combines artificial intelligence software with robust hardware to offer a complete fire detection solution. To do this, we strategically position cameras on fixed towers, which constantly capture images. Meanwhile, advanced algorithms analyze these images in real time, identifying characteristic signs of fire such as movement, heat, flames or smoke.

When it detects a possible fire outbreak, HARPIA generates instant alerts, accessible via various devices. The system goes beyond simple notification: it continuously compiles data into comprehensive analytical reports and dashboards. These reports highlight critical areas, peak times and historical fire patterns, transforming raw data into actionable intelligence.

By identifying fire outbreaks in their early stages, the system dramatically increases the chances of rapid containment before the fire becomes uncontrollable. The ability to map the spread of the fire in real time provides critical information for tactical firefighting planning, enabling proactive protection of vital areas.

Impact of natural disasters on the oil and gas industry

The impacts of natural disasters on the oil and gas industry are extensive, affecting not only extraction and refining operations but also logistics, environmental safety, and the global economy.

With billions lost annually in the energy sector, including oil and gas, natural disasters pose a significant threat. In regions highly dependent on this industry, such as the Gulf of Mexico and producing areas in Asia, these disasters can cause irreparable damage.

Facts like this highlight the importance of investing in advanced monitoring systems to anticipate and mitigate the impacts of natural disasters. The use of intelligent technologies can help identify risks, enabling rapid decision-making and reducing damage to operations and the environment. In addition, containment strategies and planning are essential to protect critical infrastructure, workers and communities near facilities.

Intelligent monitoring to detect oil at sea

ALTAVE is developing an advanced intelligent monitoring system using elongated, aerodynamic captive airships. Equipped with optical and thermal cameras, these aerostats can be raised up to 200 meters, offering a privileged view with a detection river of up to 10km. The system is installed on oil spill response vessels (ORSV), transmitting images in real time and sending instant alerts when a spill is detected.

The captured images are processed by Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms, which identify anomalies on the water surface indicative of oil leaks. The HARPIA platform compiles these data into an intuitive dashboard, generating automatic reports with crucial information on the location, extent, and spread of oil slicks. These reports serve as evidence of regulatory compliance, essential for maintaining operational licenses.

Early and accurate detection of leaks enables a rapid response, minimizing environmental damage and risks to marine fauna and flora. With an autonomy of 90 days without gas exchange, the system offers continuous monitoring, overcoming the limitations of manual surveillance and reducing the risk of undetected incidents. As well as protecting the environment, it also helps to avoid billion-dollar fines and potential bans on operations by regulatory bodies.

Impact of natural disasters on mining

Natural disasters pose a significant challenge to the mining industry, affecting both the safety of operations and the environmental sustainability and economy of mining regions. These events can disrupt activities, cause significant material losses, and even human tragedies. Below, we highlight the main natural disasters impacting the sector:

• Flooding: Excessive rainfall can cause open-cast and underground mines to flood, compromising worker safety, damaging equipment and leading to the contamination of rivers and groundwater with mineral waste;
• Landslides: Heavy rains or earthquakes can cause landslides on mine slopes, burying facilities and releasing tailings into sensitive environmental areas;
• Natural mass movements: In mountainous areas, natural soil movements, such as erosion, can destabilize mining operations and release materials into the environment.

According to global reports, mining is one of the industries most vulnerable to natural disasters, especially in tropical regions and areas with irregular topography. In Brazil, events such as floods in mining areas and landslides caused by heavy rains can lead to billion-dollar losses and significant environmental impacts.

These scenarios reinforce the need to implement intelligent monitoring systems to identify risks in real time and act quickly to contain damage. In addition, the integration of response strategies and contingency plans is essential to protect not only industry assets, but also local communities and the environment.

Intelligent monitoring for slope conservation

ALTAVE offers an integrated solution capable of solving the most common problems faced by the mining sector, such as the danger of structures collapsing and the risk to the safety of people and assets.

Using our integrated solution, it is possible to carry out risk detection for slope prevention quickly and efficiently, identifying possible changes that could indicate a landslide, for example. The data is analyzed by our Artificial Intelligence and sent in real time to the teams responsible for decision-making. In this way, it is possible to prevent structural damage, preserving and conserving the area through effective environmental monitoring.

Impact of natural disasters on the electricity grid

Natural disasters directly affect electric power grids, compromising distribution, safety, and the reliability of supply for millions of people, businesses, and industries. These events can cause severe damage to infrastructure, leading to prolonged blackouts and high recovery costs. Below, we list the main natural disasters impacting the electric sector:

• Tropical storms: Strong winds, lightning and heavy rain can bring down transmission lines, towers and poles, as well as causing short circuits in transformers and substations, interrupting the power supply for days or weeks;
• Flooding: The flooding of substations and critical installations can damage electrical equipment, as well as creating risks of short-circuiting and explosions, making it difficult to resume supply;
• Lightning storms: Intense electrical discharges can cause short circuits, overload transformers and damage sensitive equipment.

Intelligent monitoring to detect anomalies in crossheads and insulators

ALTAVE monitoring is able to identify and classify different types of anomalies, such as fungus, decay, cracks in crossarms, or leaks and breaks in insulators. When it detects an anomaly, the system sends out instant notifications, enabling immediate responses in favor of the continued operation of the electrical distribution network.

Our system is based on Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning algorithms, analyzing high-resolution images of ceramic crossheads and insulators to detect these anomalies. These images can be captured by drones equipped with high-resolution cameras or processed from existing databases. Our solution transforms raw data analysis into actionable intelligence, generating instant alerts that can be accessed on tablets, cell phones or display terminals, facilitating immediate analysis and informed decisions.

ALTAVE's innovation for detecting anomalies in crossarms and insulators adds unique value to the electricity distribution market. Combining cutting-edge technology with operational expertise, the company offers a proactive approach to critical infrastructure maintenance.

Conclusion

Environmental monitoring is a crucial tool in mitigating the consequences of natural disasters, such as floods, droughts, landslides and others. Through advanced technologies such as monitoring cameras and early warning systems, it is possible to predict and minimize the damage that these events can cause in agricultural areas, the oil and gas industry, mining and various other sectors.

Investing in monitoring is not just a matter of protection, but also a strategy to guarantee the productivity and sustainability of activities.

As we face climate change and its devastating effects, reflection on the future of various sectors becomes inevitable. The role of monitoring will become increasingly central, as it helps prevent disasters and promotes a resilient and adaptable industry.

About ALTAVE

ALTAVE is a Brazilian company, accredited as a Strategic Defense Company (EED), with patented technology in Brazil and abroad. The company has obtained CE marking, indicating the approval of its product quality to be marketed throughout the European Union.

ALTAVE has been offering efficient, differentiated and quality solutions for over 10 years for the Defense and Security, Energy, Mining, Ports, Agribusiness and Oil and Gas sectors.

Let's have a chat? 

Contact us to learn more about how our solution can help your company!