Balam Ingenieria De Sistemas

Balam Ingenieria De Sistemas (Balamis) is a technology firm specializing in the development and manufacturing of cost-effective, ground-based and airborne microwave radiometers and radars. The company emerged in early 2015 as a spin-off from over 15 years of research in microwave remote sensing at the Remote Sensing Laboratory of the Technical University of Catalonia in Barcelona. In June 2015, Balamis was selected to join the European Space Agency Business Incubation Centre (ESA BIC) in Barcelona, a program that supports startups with space-based business ideas. The company's establishment is rooted in the extensive academic and research background of its founders, including Professor Adriano Camps, a full professor at the Technical University of Catalonia since 2007 with deep involvement in the European Space Agency's SMOS Earth Explorer Mission. His research has centered on microwave remote sensing, particularly microwave radiometry and remote sensing using signals of opportunity (GNSS-R).

Balamis designs and produces sensor systems for rapid and non-invasive mapping of environmental variables, with a primary focus on soil moisture. The company serves a diverse client base that includes precision agriculture firms, infrastructure survey companies, and research and governmental institutions. Its business model revolves around selling proprietary sensor hardware and providing related data services. The technology allows for efficient mapping over large areas without the need for an extensive network of ground-based probes.

A core product is the ARIEL L-band radiometer, a passive microwave sensor that measures natural thermal emissions at 1.4 GHz to determine water content. This technology is derived from the same principles as the MIRAS sensor on the SMOS satellite mission. ARIEL is designed for versatility and can be mounted on ground vehicles, UAVs, and aircraft, with installation taking as little as 10 minutes on some platforms. The company also offers the SMIGOL L-band GNSS reflectometer, which functions as a bi-static radar using GPS satellite signals to analyze soil-related measurements. For structural and slope stability monitoring, Balamis has developed a multi-frequency Ground-Based Synthetic Aperture Radar (GBSAR) that can operate in various bands (X, C, L, P) to compensate for atmospheric, vegetation, or snow cover distortions. The firm has also been involved in space-related projects, such as developing the RF front-end for a payload on the 3Cat-5/A satellite and refurbishing the HUTRAD 2.0 radiometer for the MOSAiC Arctic expedition.

Keywords: microwave remote sensing, soil moisture mapping, precision agriculture, L-band radiometer, GNSS-reflectometer, ground-based synthetic aperture radar, environmental monitoring, infrastructure surveying, remote sensing technology, ESA BIC, water resource management, ARIEL radiometer, SMIGOL reflectometer, structural stability monitoring, airborne sensors, UAV sensors, GBSAR, geohazard prevention, Technical University of Catalonia spin-off