BENGALURU: On a summer time morning, or every other day, an app would possibly quickly information a courier or gig employee alongside a route not as a result of it’s shortest however as a result of it’s coolest. That’s the concept behind Ahmedabad Area startup SatLeo Labs’ thermal mapping, which makes use of space-borne temperature information to assist with on a regular basis selections, from the place a metropolis crops its subsequent tree to how a employee plans a visit on a 40°C afternoon.The concept is already being examined. In Tumakuru, 76km from Bengaluru, SatLeo’s pilot makes use of drone-mounted thermal sensors paired with satellite-derived layers to identify methane leaks and observe warmth build-up throughout a 40-acre solid-waste dump.“Tumakuru is shifting towards a cleaner and more healthy future. With new applied sciences like thermal intelligence by way of satellites and drones, we are able to now see and resolve issues quicker, whether or not it’s greenhouse gasoline emissions above stable waste, warmth patterns of the town, or open dumps. This challenge is about making Tumakuru safer, greener, and extra comfy for each citizen,” Ashwija BV, MD & CEO, Tumakuru Good Metropolis Restricted, and commissioner, Tumakuru Metropolis Company, stated.SatLeo’s pitch is to construct a thermometer for Earth. Co-founder & CEO Shravan Bhati says present datasets easy out the sharp variations in temperature that outline a metropolis. “There’s no correct temperature info of every spot. Present datasets are interpolated averages; they cover the truth that a park will be a number of levels cooler than an industrial block a number of hundred metres away,” he instructed TOI.SatLeo plans a constellation, with its experimental Tapas-1 mission slated for Q1 2026 and a business rollout anticipated later that yr. It goals to mix medium-wave and long-wave infrared imaging with 2.5-metre seen imagery and onboard edge computing. The aim is to supply sub-10-metre thermal maps, twice-daily updates and real-time anomaly detection, giving cities and enterprises processed insights moderately than massive volumes of uncooked information. Considered one of these merchandise, the “Thermal Consolation API”, is a layer that municipalities or platforms can plug into their techniques to measure warmth stress at road degree. The Tumakuru pilot exhibits two helpful purposes.First is landfill emissions. IoT sensors can inform officers how a lot methane exists, however they can not establish the precise level of launch throughout a large dump. Thermal layers assist slim the placement to particular pockets in order that groups can deal with the issue with out looking out tens of acres.Second is city warmth. With thermal layers, the town can plan plantations, shade constructions and water provide the place they may have essentially the most impact. SatLeo’s information has been utilized in Tumakuru for a number of months, and the agency is talking to different municipalities about related initiatives.SatLeo additionally sees a wider market in outside labour administration. Bhati factors out that common metropolis temperatures say little in regards to the circumstances confronted by gig staff or these in development. With street-level thermal maps, insurers may confirm claims linked to warmth publicity, employers may redirect or reschedule duties throughout spikes, and well being departments may place cooling stations or medicines extra exactly.“If the temperature goes above 48°C and up, then the individual is insured… however who will ensure that the place the individuals have been working that the temperature of that location was 48°C?” Bhati requested, stressing the usefulness of their strategy.Co-founder Urmil Bakhai says the roadmap is formidable however grounded, noting that the agency has letters of intent value $25 million from private and non-private gamers. The enchantment for metropolis managers is obvious: focused motion is cheaper and faster than broad schemes. For residents and staff, the profit is simple — cooler routes, better-placed bushes and faster detection of dangerous emissions.