The Earth Observation Research and Innovation Centre (EORIC) is a research arm of the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR) in Sunyani, Ghana. The centre focuses on the acquisition and application of satellite-based, airborne, and in-situ data to support research, education, environmental monitoring, and decision-making.
Through Earth observation, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), satellite communications, weather and climate services, unmanned aerial systems, and other geospatial technologies, EORIC works across areas such as water resources, agriculture, climate, energy, ecosystems, biodiversity, health, and disaster management.
What Is EORIC?
EORIC stands for Earth Observation Research and Innovation Centre. It operates within UENR in Sunyani, Ghana, and is associated with the university’s School of Engineering. The centre’s work is built around using Earth observation and geospatial technologies to generate useful information for scientific research, development planning, environmental management, and other practical applications.
EORIC’s responsibilities include acquiring near-real-time satellite data, airborne and in-situ observations, metadata, and Earth observation products. It also works with automatic weather monitoring, unmanned aerial systems, fire monitoring and modelling, and training in Earth observation and GIS techniques.
The centre’s mission is to promote, facilitate, and support the acquisition and application of geospatial technologies in interdisciplinary research and education. Its areas of interest include water, disasters, energy, climate, agriculture, ecosystems, weather, health, and biodiversity.
History of EORIC
The development of EORIC is connected to Ghana’s growing use of satellite and remote-sensing technologies. According to the centre’s history, an important starting point came in 2009 when Amos T. Kabo-bah encountered satellite-based environmental monitoring technology at the African Association of Remote Sensing of the Environment conference in Kampala, Uganda.
The experience contributed to efforts to establish satellite-based capabilities at UENR. Early work included the development of a GEONETCast receiving facility and projects involving fire and disaster education, satellite-based decision-support systems, risk mapping, and simulation technologies.
Over time, the centre expanded its technological and research activities. Projects included a carbon monitoring flux tower, climate modelling tools, and the integration of a COSMIC-2 satellite ground station supported through cooperation involving the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and Taiwan’s National Space Organization.
As the scope of its work expanded, the institution was renamed the Earth Observation Research and Innovation Centre in March 2016. Dr. Kabo-bah became its founding head. The new identity reflected a broader mandate covering Earth observation, GIS, satellite data, weather monitoring, unmanned aerial systems, fire monitoring, and related training.
Satellite Technology and Ground Station Operations
Satellite technology is one of the major components of EORIC’s work. The centre operates satellite ground station infrastructure at the UENR campus in Sunyani, supporting the acquisition of remote-sensing and other satellite data.
Its Satellite Operations Division provides ground services for satellite remote sensing, telemetry, tracking, and command activities. EORIC’s current infrastructure includes multiple antennas, including full-motion antennas for tracking, a fixed antenna for satellite data downlink, and a GNSS reference station used for atmospheric and positioning research.
The centre also operates an Earth Observation Satellite-Direct Broadcast ground station capable of receiving data from a range of satellites. Its listed satellite infrastructure includes systems associated with NASA’s Terra and Aqua missions, NOAA satellites, Suomi NPP, Metop satellites, and Fengyun-3B.
This infrastructure allows satellite observations to be received and processed for research, education, environmental applications, and development-related activities.
Earth Observation and Environmental Intelligence
Earth observation involves collecting information about the Earth’s surface and atmosphere through satellites, aircraft, drones, sensors, and other technologies. When these observations are combined with GIS, modelling, and other analytical techniques, they can provide information about changes in land, vegetation, weather, water, and environmental conditions.
EORIC’s Earth Observation Laboratory provides near-real-time satellite data and geospatial analytics for research, development planning, environmental monitoring, and emergency response. The centre says its EO infrastructure combines satellite ground stations, data reception systems, automated data pipelines, computing resources, and remote-sensing and GIS facilities.
The resulting information can be useful to government institutions, researchers, development organizations, farmers’ groups, environmental planners, and disaster management units.
GIS and Geospatial Data Services
Geographic Information Systems are another important part of EORIC’s activities. GIS allows information connected to geographic locations to be collected, organized, analyzed, and visualized.
By combining satellite imagery with GIS techniques, researchers and organizations can study spatial patterns and changes over time. This can support applications such as land-use planning, natural-resource management, environmental assessment, agriculture, infrastructure planning, and disaster response.
EORIC offers GIS analysis and data services as part of its wider portfolio of geospatial services. Its mission specifically identifies the application of geospatial technologies in interdisciplinary research and education as a central objective.
Unmanned Aerial Systems
EORIC also uses Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) to complement satellite observations.
Drones can collect high-resolution imagery at relatively local scales, making them useful when detailed information about a particular site or area is required. EORIC’s UAS services support applications including natural-resource management, environmental monitoring, agriculture, infrastructure assessment, and disaster response.
The combination of satellite imagery and drone-based observations can provide information at different spatial scales. Satellites can help monitor large regions, while drones can provide more detailed observations of specific locations.
Weather and Climate Services
Weather and climate science is another major area of EORIC’s activities. The centre’s Weather and Climate Unit focuses on climate resilience, scientific research, early warning systems, weather forecasting, and climate services.
Such information can support policymakers, communities, and regional planners as they consider weather risks and climate adaptation.
Earth observation technologies can contribute to these efforts by providing information about atmospheric conditions, land surfaces, vegetation, and other environmental variables. When combined with weather observations and climate models, these datasets can help researchers understand environmental changes and potential risks.
Fire Monitoring and Disaster Management
EORIC also applies satellite technology to fire monitoring and disaster management.
Its Environment Fire Laboratory uses near-real-time satellite observations for wildfire detection and early warning. Satellite-based monitoring can help identify fire activity across large geographic areas and provide information that can support emergency response and disaster management.
The centre’s broader work in disaster-related applications includes satellite-based decision-support systems, risk mapping, and environmental monitoring. These capabilities demonstrate how Earth observation can move beyond academic research and contribute to practical risk-management activities.
Carbon Flux Monitoring
EORIC’s research and service portfolio also includes carbon flux monitoring. The centre operates an Eddy Covariance Tower in the Bia Tano Forest Reserve in Ghana for monitoring exchanges of carbon dioxide between tropical forest ecosystems and the atmosphere.
Carbon flux measurements can contribute to research into forest ecosystems, climate change, carbon cycling, and environmental management. Long-term environmental measurements are particularly useful for understanding how ecosystems respond to changing climate and land conditions.
Satellite Communication and Training
Beyond Earth observation itself, EORIC has developed capabilities in satellite communications and professional training.
The EORIC-UENR SATCOM Training Hub was established to support capacity building, research, and innovation in satellite communication and space technologies. The initiative received funding from the Ghana Skills Development Fund through the Commission for Technical and Vocational Education and Training.
The training initiative is designed to provide practical and competency-based learning in areas such as satellite communication systems, signal processing, and ground station operations. It is intended for groups including engineers, technicians, students, researchers, and entrepreneurs.
EORIC has also reported professional SATCOM certification activities and training programs aimed at strengthening Ghana’s technical capacity in satellite communications.
Applications Across Different Sectors
One of EORIC’s defining characteristics is the wide range of fields in which Earth observation technologies can be applied.
Agriculture
Satellite imagery and geospatial information can support agricultural monitoring, land-use assessment, and natural-resource management. These technologies can help researchers and agricultural organizations understand vegetation and environmental conditions over large areas.
Water Resources
Earth observation and GIS can contribute to water-resource research by providing spatial information about landscapes, water bodies, and environmental changes.
Climate and Weather
Satellite observations, weather monitoring, and climate modelling can be combined to study weather patterns, climate risks, and environmental change.
Biodiversity and Ecosystems
Earth observation can provide information about vegetation, land cover, forest ecosystems, and environmental changes, supporting research and conservation planning.
Disaster Management
Satellite-based monitoring can support fire detection, risk mapping, early warning, and emergency response.
Energy
Geospatial technologies can contribute to research and planning involving energy resources and infrastructure.
These applications reflect EORIC’s stated mission of applying geospatial technologies across water, disasters, energy, climate, agriculture, ecosystems, weather, health, and biodiversity.
Research, Education, and Capacity Building
EORIC is not solely a technology and data facility. Its role also includes research, education, training, and knowledge transfer.
The centre organizes training programs related to Earth observation and GIS, while its SATCOM Training Hub expands this capacity-building role into satellite communications and space technologies.
This educational dimension is important because effective use of satellite and geospatial technology depends not only on hardware and data but also on professionals who can process, interpret, and apply the information.
EORIC’s work therefore connects scientific research with technical skills development and practical applications.
Partnerships and International Collaboration
The development of EORIC has involved collaboration with international organizations and research partners. Its history highlights cooperation involving organizations such as NOAA, Taiwan’s National Space Organization, and CzechGlobe, among others.
The centre also works with international and local stakeholders through research, training, technology development, and Earth observation services.
These partnerships can provide access to specialized technology, expertise, datasets, funding opportunities, and training resources, helping strengthen Ghana’s capabilities in space science and geospatial research.
EORIC’s Role in Ghana’s Space and Environmental Technology Landscape
EORIC represents the growing role of Earth observation and space-based technologies in Ghana. Its activities bring together satellite infrastructure, remote sensing, GIS, atmospheric observations, drones, weather and climate research, environmental monitoring, and professional training.
The centre’s work also illustrates how satellite technology can have applications far beyond traditional space science. Information collected from satellites can become useful for environmental management, agriculture, disaster preparedness, climate research, infrastructure assessment, and development planning.
By combining data acquisition with analysis, research, education, and capacity building, EORIC seeks to make Earth observation information more useful to institutions and communities.
Conclusion
The Earth Observation Research and Innovation Centre (EORIC) is a research and technology centre at the University of Energy and Natural Resources in Sunyani, Ghana. Its work focuses on Earth observation, satellite technology, geospatial science, environmental intelligence, weather and climate services, drone-based monitoring, satellite communications, and related research and training.
From its early development around satellite-based environmental monitoring to its current range of ground station, GIS, UAS, climate, fire monitoring, carbon flux, and SATCOM activities, EORIC has developed a broad technology and research portfolio.
Its central purpose is to turn Earth observation and geospatial data into useful information for research, education, environmental management, and decision-making. With its location at UENR and its connections to national and international partners, EORIC forms part of Ghana’s expanding capabilities in Earth observation and space-related technology.