We are pleased to announce an important milestone in the cloudification of the Sen4CAP processing system: the core Sen4CAP processors have been successfully onboarded to the ESA Application Execution Platform (APEx) and the Network of Resources (NoR) ecosystem and are now available to users as operational cloud services through the TAO Platform.
This achievement transforms the traditional Sen4CAP processing chains into interoperable, cloud-native services that can be accessed through multiple interfaces, enabling users to integrate advanced agricultural monitoring capabilities directly into their operational workflows.
Available Sen4CAP Services
The following Sen4CAP processors are now available as operational services:
- Spectral Indicators
- Biophysical Indicators
- Crop Type Classification
- Grassland Mowing Detection
- Agricultural Practices Monitoring
- Bare Soil Detection
- Heterogeneity Analysis
- Change Detection
- Tillage Detection
- Winter Cover Crops Detection
Flexible Access Through Multiple Interfaces
To accommodate different user needs and integration scenarios, the services can be accessed through several complementary mechanisms.
Access via the TAO Platform
Users can execute the processors directly through the TAO Platform, which provides a user-friendly environment for service discovery, job configuration, execution monitoring, and result management.
Access via OGC API Processes
All services are exposed through standardized OGC API Processes interfaces, allowing seamless integration with external systems, applications, and automated workflows. This standards-based approach promotes interoperability and facilitates the adoption of SEN4CAP capabilities within broader Earth Observation ecosystems.
Access via the Sen4CAP Python Client Library
For developers, researchers, and advanced users, a dedicated Python client library is available to simplify service consumption. The client supports process discovery, job submission, execution monitoring, and retrieval of processing results, making it easy to integrate Sen4CAP services into scripts, applications, and operational processing chains.
A Cloud-Native Evolution of Sen4CAP
The availability of these services is the result of the cloudification activities undertaken within the project. Legacy Sen4CAP processing chains have been transformed into cloud-native services using modern standards and technologies, including:
- OGC API Processes
- OGC Application Packages
- Common Workflow Language (CWL)
- Docker containerization
- STAC-compliant product publication
This architecture ensures portability, reproducibility, scalability, and interoperability across different cloud infrastructures and execution environments, including APEx and NoR.
Service Portfolio, Contracting and Pricing
Detailed information regarding service availability, subscription options, contracting procedures, usage conditions, and pricing is available through the https://portfolio.nor-discover.org .
The portfolio provides a comprehensive overview of the available Sen4CAP services and the associated commercial and operational information for prospective users.