The Herd

The Herd is KP Labs' suite of onboard AI algorithms for Earth observation data processing, designed to run at the edge on satellite hardware. The suite is structured in three processing layers: data pre-processing, data analysis, and post-processing. Algorithms are quantised to 8 bits for edge deployment on FPGAs and run on KP Labs Antelope, Leopard, and Lion DPU platforms.^[1]

Capabilities include CNN-based cloud detection, semantic segmentation, object detection, hyperspectral classification, vegetation index mapping, multi- and hyperspectral data processing, super-resolution reconstruction, and real-time satellite telemetry anomaly detection. Deployment follows a three-step process: mission-specific model design, edge device onboarding (quantisation and knowledge distillation), and verification and validation for the space environment.^[1]

The suite has demonstrated flight heritage on two missions. On Intuition-1, a KP Labs 6U CubeSat launched in November 2023, The Herd performed hyperspectral classification, cloud detection, and onboard data compression.^[1][2] On ESA Phi-sat-2, a 6U CubeSat launched in August 2024, an 8-bit quantised CNN cloud-detection algorithm from The Herd was operated.^[1]