On Friday, April 24, the 11th edition of the prestigious CASSINI Hackathon began at Wrocław University of Science and Technology.

The main theme of the hackathon was “Space for Water”, focusing on the use of European space technologies to protect, manage, and ensure the safety of water resources. The event gathered over 200 participants, with nearly 110 working throughout the weekend on solutions that were later presented on stage.

Participants tackled real-world challenges prepared, among others, by the Municipal Water and Sewage Company in Wrocław, using satellite data from the Copernicus, Galileo, and EGNOS programs.

Thanks to access to these unique urban datasets and satellite imagery, teams worked on solutions in three key areas:

• Failure and leak detection from space: analyzing satellite data to identify changes in soil moisture that may indicate potential failures in water supply networks or pipe ruptures before they become visible on the surface.
• Smart retention and spatial planning: using satellite-based soil permeability assessments combined with hydrogeological models to design more effective rainwater retention systems and manage stormwater in urban areas.
• Monitoring quality and safety: early warning systems detecting threats to water intakes—from algal blooms (high turbidity), to flood risks, or low water levels caused by hydrological drought.

We are pleased to announce that a staff member of our faculty, MSc Eng. Łukasz Janiec from the Department of Cybernetics and Robotics, was part of Team Psi Patrol, which won second place in the Polish edition of the hackathon with the project “Ψ (Psi) Factor”.

The team consisted largely of members affiliated with Wrocław University of Science and Technology - 4 out of 6 members represented the university. In addition to our staff member, the team included:

• Dr. Janusz Kozubal from the Faculty of Civil Engineering,
• Kamil Górniak and Magdalena Kozubal – students of the Faculty of Civil Engineering,
• Maciej Dzieżyc – former PhD student of the Faculty of Computer Science,
• Adam Cybulski – Data Quality Expert.

In the (Psi) Factor project, the team focused on one of the key areas - smart retention and spatial planning.

The Psi index is a measure designed to determine how much rainwater a given area can absorb, which is particularly important during heavy rainfall or floods.

Other winners of this year’s edition were:

• 1st place: ViadrusAI
• 3rd place: Truskaweczki

The CASSINI Hackathon is a prestigious event organized on the initiative of the European Commission under the auspices of the European Union Agency for the Space Programme and the European Space Agency. This year, Wrocław was among ten cities hosting the event simultaneously.