Norway's Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE) has contracted ICEYE, a Finnish satellite intelligence company, to deploy a nationwide flood monitoring service covering mainland Norway and Svalbard. The agreement, awarded through competitive tender, will use synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite technology to strengthen flood hazard mapping, emergency response and situational awareness during severe weather.
The project, which began in February 2026, runs for one year with the possibility of a two-year extension. NVE has signalled its intent to share resulting data with other Norwegian authorities and municipalities as the service matures.
Two distinct capabilities sit at the core of the contract. The first, Flood Rapid Impact, generates automated updates on flood extent at intervals of up to every six hours during active events. The second, Flood Insights, produces more detailed analyses covering water depth and impact assessments on a 24-hour cycle throughout each event. Together they are intended to give NVE a continuous operational picture both as floods unfold and in the aftermath.
A particular advantage of SAR technology in the Norwegian context is its ability to capture imagery regardless of cloud cover, darkness or complex terrain conditions that frequently limit conventional optical satellites, especially at higher latitudes and during winter months.
The service is specifically designed to address the snowmelt and precipitation-driven flooding that recurs across Norway's river systems. Practical applications include calibration of hydraulic models, publication of flood extent data on the national platform Naturhendelser.varsom.no, evaluation of flood forecasting tools and support to emergency responders during prolonged events.
Torsten Starkloff, Flood Discipline Group Leader at NVE, noted that the service "has the potential to strengthen how we monitor and document major water events across Norway," adding that the resulting data would inform improvements to flood warning systems, hazard mapping and long-term preparedness planning.
