ICEYE Launches Deforestation Monitoring Solution to Accelerate Enforcement Against Illegal Tropical Forest Loss

ICEYE, building actionable intelligence for resilience, readiness & response, led by Rafal Modrzewski, Pekka Laurila, and Eric Jensen, has launched its deforestation monitoring solution. The technology enables law enforcement agencies, government officials, and conservation groups to monitor forest loss in near real time, including in regions frequently obscured by cloud cover.

The launch comes amid ongoing pressure to protect the Amazon rainforest. According to Global Forest Watch, Brazil lost 28 million hectares of tree cover between 2000 and 2020, a nearly 6% decline,  highlighting a persistent challenge for enforcement efforts in remote and cloud-covered regions.

Traditional optical satellites often struggle in tropical regions where persistent cloud cover can obscure imagery for days or weeks. These gaps create enforcement blind spots, allowing illegal clearing to expand before authorities can verify and respond.

ICEYE’s synthetic aperture radar (SAR) constellation enables continuous monitoring through clouds and darkness, delivering deforestation alerts with pre- and post-event imagery to create a clear evidence trail.

“Timing is critical when forests are under threat,” said Andy Read, Vice President of Government Solutions at ICEYE. “SAR eliminates monitoring blind spots and provides a continuous stream of reliable intelligence for authorities and conservation partners protecting these landscapes.”

ICEYE has monitored forest change across Brazil for years, tracking deforestation in remote regions where optical monitoring is limited. The new solution expands its environmental intelligence capabilities with structured, repeatable monitoring for enforcement agencies, conservation NGOs, and government ministries.

Dr. Lilian Pintea, VP of Conservation Science at the Jane Goodall Institute, said persistent monitoring is critical to protect wildlife habitats, noting that near-real-time, cloud-penetrating data helps track deforestation and illegal mining while enabling faster conservation action.

ICEYE’s monitoring supports forest protection efforts across NGOs, governments, and enforcement agencies, enabling advocacy, climate reporting, and evidence-based action against active deforestation.

As pressure on tropical forests rises, persistent monitoring is becoming essential for global conservation. ICEYE combines continuous observation with advanced analytics to support long-term protection efforts across the Amazon, Congo Basin, and other threatened forest regions.