Short Bio

Antonello Aiello brings over 13 years of extensive expertise in GIS and Earth Observation (EO) through Satellite Remote Sensing. He holds a PhD in Earth Sciences and a background in Civil and Environmental Engineering. His academic journey into EO began during his MSc studies, where he conducted early work using satellite Thermal Infrared (TIR) data for Sea Surface Temperature (SST) analysis and developed a basic object-based classification method using Very High Resolution (VHR) imagery to identify plastic-covered vineyards—marking his initial steps in remote sensing applications. 

During his doctoral studies, Antonello's research extended to the analysis of coastal dynamics and vulnerability to erosion, as well as soil erosion and degradation in coastal basins. He employed a variety of techniques, including EO Remote Sensing, GIS, Geoprocessing, Spatial Analysis, and Numerical Modelling. 

His contributions to the field are evident through publications in international peer-reviewed journals and presentations at both national and international conferences. 

After working as an External Consultant at the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (Institute for Space, Security and Migration – Disaster Risk Management Unit), Antonello joined Planetek Italia in 2017. He currently serves as Technical Manager within the Geospatial Application Team (GAT), where he oversees project management, geoservice and geoanalytics development, multi-/hyperspectral image processing, algorithm design, GIS analysis, and mentorship of postgraduate students.

Since 2024, Antonello is leading the Blue Horizon Team (BHT), a specialised unit within GAT, focused on designing, implementing, and developing EO-based services and applications for marine and coastal environments. The BHT delivers actionable geospatial insights that support the company’s Strategic Business Units (SBUs) in their respective markets.

Antonello actively participates in several international projects focused on water quality monitoring in coastal areas and the detection and monitoring of marine plastic litter through satellite data. He is also the Project Manager of IRIDE EOS4LPA Lot 3, part of the IRIDE Programme, one of the most ambitious EO programmes in Europe, funded by the Italian government to develop a national satellite constellation and related services. Additionally, he served as an innovation and technical coach at the Hackathon Copernicus Editions from 2019 to 2022, offering support to developers, graphic designers, web and mobile app designers, young innovators, and data analysts in conceiving and crafting innovative applications based on Copernicus data and services. 

Since November 2022, Antonello serves as an Expert Member of the Scientific Board of the National PhD Program in Earth Observation at Sapienza University of Rome, further demonstrating his commitment to advancing the field of EO.