3.06.2007
Global Remote Sensing Laws
If you enjoyed A Brief Survey of Remote Sensing Law Around the World, (2003) by the National Center for Remote Sensing, Air and Space Law's world-traveling and prolific Prof. Joanne Gabrynowicz, you'll especially love this hot updated and expanded version, funded by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Satellite and Information Service's Commercial Remote Sensing Licensing Program, available here: The Land Remote Sensing Laws and Policies of National Governments: A Global Survey (fill in the Center's short online form for free viewing or downloading of this 43-page pdf).By way of background (i.e. the executive summary):
This study reviews some of the laws and policies that address the commercialization and privatization of space-based remote sensing systems, data, and data products. It contains an analysis of some existing policies, and identifies some Nations that have been reported to be commencing space-based remote sensing activities but do not yet have formal laws and policies. It also identifies some global trends and includes a Nation-by-Nation synopsis of relevant laws and policies. The countries reviewed include Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, European Community, France, Germany, Hong Kong (special administrative region of China), India, Iran, Israel, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Poland, the Russian Federation, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates, the United States of America, and the United Kingdom.
It's pretty much everything in a nutshell you want to know about remote sensing law on Earth.
The study reveals, inter alia, there's "relatively little formal law, and there are more policies than laws, but the trend is to establish more formal law. Remote sensing applications are catalyzing both remote sensing-specific law and national space law."
It reports that "[a]ccess to data is the presumed norm with exceptions for national security; the number and kind of exceptions are growing; the UN Principles on Remote Sensing are being more narrowly construed." And it observes "shifts," which include "from focusing on data to focusing on users, to focusing on the context of transactions; from profits to becoming operational," and "a steadily increasing interest in disaster response, mitigation, and management." And many more insights.
Don't miss the nation-by-nation charts which summarize national space and remote sensing laws, relevant regulations, policies, and other related laws
and data policies, starting at page 26.
Another gem from Prof. Joanne Gabrynowicz and her crew.
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Image: Landsat 7 image of Washington, DC acquired on May 9, 2005.
