The purpose of the technology is to inform decisions to help regulate and reduce emissions in the future.
Initially, the data will be used by the government and local authorities and it is hoped it will eventually also have commercial uses.
“I think it will give whoever’s using it, and this case the Brits, the ability to see things that other countries or other companies can’t see,” said Fred Thomas, MP for Plymouth Moor View.
“So if you think of this in military terms, it’s like having night-vision goggles. At night you can see stuff, and if someone else doesn’t have that they can’t see it so it is a huge advantage,” he said.