Dr. Nirav N. Patel works in the Solution Engineering team at Applied Intuition. Prior to Applied, Nirav was a Senior Scientist and Program Manager supporting the Space and Artificial Intelligence Portfolios with the Defense Innovation Unit in Silicon Valley, California.
Nirav led the efforts in adopting commercially-sourced satellite imagery (as well as global weather sensing data) and computer vision algorithms to support domestic needs like disaster response & climate change, as well as national security needs such as detecting anomalous and nefarious activities abroad.
Specifically, Nirav managed the project to build the first U.S. commercial synthetic aperture radar smallsats; capable of more frequent, all-weather imaging of the earth at significantly reduced cost. Nirav collaborated with multiple U.S. government such as NASA and the USGS and international agencies.
He contributed to create the “xView” series of international challenges to enlist the global community of machine learning experts towards tackling one of the Department of Defense’s hardest problems; detecting key objects in context in overhead imagery.
xView has enabled thousands of developers to apply computer vision algorithms to things like identify property damage caused by natural disasters, as well as illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing through automated dark vessel detection.
Dr. Patel is an Air Force veteran (enlisted non-commissioned officer) who has twice deployed overseas to support personnel recovery and rescue during combat operations against ISIS and Al-Shabaab, along with assisting in state-side disaster recovery support in the defense of the United States