A Look into Geospatial Intelligence
An Overview
Geospatial Intelligence or more regularly identified as GEOINT is the information procured from an analysis of literal imagery, geospatial data, and information technically derived from the processing, exploitation, literal, and non-literal analysis of spectral, spatial, and temporal fused products. These types of data can be obtained on stationary and shifting targets by electro-optical, synthetic aperture radar (SAR), related sensor programs, and non-technical means. GEOINT, according to US Code, consists of imagery, Imagery Intelligence (IMINT), and geospatial information. GEOINT was initially a project by the U.S. military and is now used by academia and commercial enterprises to solve geographic obstacles.
The basic capabilities and products of these three areas still exist as the foundation of GEOINT. However, imagery, imagery intelligence, and geospatial information are now considered to be three complementary elements of GEOINT, rather than separate entities. Progressions in technology and the application of geospatial data have designed the ability to integrate and/or connect elements of any or all of the areas, along with other factors of information, resulting in many new, more complex capabilities for producing outcomes and directing the analysis. With the progression of GEOINT and technology, the line between standard and specific GEOINT is not precise.
Specific GEOINT Characteristics:
- consolidates intelligence analysis into all aspects; uses multiple types of sensors and advanced sensor technology
- blends multiple types of geospatial data; uses intelligence and data from other INTs to provide context
- supplements more dimensions to standard geospatial outcomes
• 3rd Dimension: grants the capability to visualize in three dimensions (3D)
• 4th Dimension: integrates the factors of time and movement (allowing for a realistic motion to create dynamic and interactive visual products)
What does it Do?
Geospatial Intelligence permits the Operator or Investigator to gather information by analyzing the precise location of data. We can gather Remotely Sensed Information in the form of high-resolution imaging from space or unmanned aerial vehicles. It helps in Data Analytics as contributions advances in data and predictive analysis in fields like healthcare, telecommunication, utilities, etc. It is more actively being used in Virtual and Augmented Reality to model locations more precisely.
Tradecraft and Techniques
GEOINT Tradecraft specialties include:
- Aeronautical Analysis: The science of developing specialized representations of mapped natural and man-made features of the Earth and supplemental metadata specifically to aid air navigation, pilotage, or planning air operations.
- Cartography: The art and science of making maps and charts.
- Geodetic Sciences: The sciences of geodesy and geophysics that deal with information or Earth data on gravity, point positioning, datums, etc.
- Geospatial Analysis: The science of extracting meaning from geospatial data and using geographic information systems to uncover and investigate relationships and patterns in all forms of geospatial data to answer intelligence or military issues.
- Imagery Analysis: The science of converting information, extracted from imagery, into intelligence about activities, issues, objects, installations, and/or areas of interest.
- Imagery Sciences: The technical application of remote sensing towards the production of GEOINT products and services.
- Marine Analysis: The portrayal of specialized representations of oceanographic, hydrographic, bathymetric data, and supplemental metadata, required for maritime navigation, pilotage, or planning maritime operations.
- Regional Analysis: The geographic, geopolitical, or intelligence analysis of a particular country or area of the world.
- Source Analysis: Source analysts manage partner relationships, coordinate collection operations with mission partners or other disciplines, perform assessments of collection operations, and support information needs brokering activities. Source analysts also proactively develop strategies to identify and deliver sources most helpful to analysts to answer specific intelligence problems.
Case Study: IMINT Analysis
A few days back I had stumbled upon an OSINT quiz from Lars Wienand. It included a picture resourced from Maxar Technologies.
At first glance, this looks like wreckage or an explosion of some sort, but going off satellite imagery will not give me an exact location of where it happened.
Doing a bit more research using the keyword “Explosion” revealed that it was a Military Base of Batu, Equatorial Guinea. The information shared by news sources, states that the farmers had set up a fire in a field which subsequently spread to a building holding explosives. This led me to search for farmlands that may be outside the city.
Now to find this place, I decided to mark certain landmarks based on the oddity of the structure.
The odd structure circled in yellow will be centered around the investigation. To the left and top of the destroyed structure are roads (coloured in Pink) with vehicles which we can use in relation to the building. Paths are leading to the main road (coloured in orange) from the building. In red are the interesting builds that caught my attention. The area closer to the structure has an odd branching path which leads to a very much destroyed (but still has an outline) C-Shaped Building. The other focus area is the pathway with a circle, which looks like a roundabout in the middle of it. It seems to have four destroyed structures, two on each side of the roundabout.
Secondary points of interests are:
- The Parking Lot directly left to the orange pathway
- Square shaped building directly south to the parking lot
- an under-construction area to the right side
- Housing/Building below the roundabout in 4 columns
Using all of the intelligence, I’ve gathered I found the location right at the coordinates — 1.819008948079202, 9.811438133365598
Resources and Tools
- https://start.me/p/W1kDAj/geoint
- https://earth.google.com/web/
- https://yandex.com/maps/
- http://shadowcalculator.eu/
Further Reads
- https://www.bellingcat.com/resources/how-tos/2018/09/05/scrape-interactive-geospatial-data/
- https://www.bellingcat.com/resources/2020/12/03/using-the-sun-and-the-shadows-for-geolocation/
- https://www.youtube.com/playlist?app=desktop&list=PLrFPX1Vfqk3ehZKSFeb9pVIHqxqrNW8Sy
Summary :
This was an introductory blog on GEOINT, I would suggest you to go through further resources and have a quick hands on, if you find any issues or misinformation please let me know.
