Human activities impact the Earth’s biosphere and climate, which may become a problem. With the subsystems of our planet operating at their limit to ensure a sustainable future for humanity, it is necessary to look for new ways and optimize the processes that affect life on Earth as we know it.
Various technologies today make it possible to effectively monitor and control many processes on the Earth’s surface and evaluate their impact on the planet. For example, with the help of various sensors, satellites collect a massive amount of data. Orbital images track climate change, illegal logging, coastal erosion, oil rigs, etc.
Satellite imagery and live satellite view are precious sources of information for research, disaster response and recovery, agriculture and other areas of human activity. Access to historical satellite imagery is also in demand by many companies, and the number of services associated with the processing and interpretation of satellite data is growing. Among such is the EOSDA LandViewer — a digital satellite imagery catalog that enables on-the-fly search, visualization, and processing of data. More so, it offers numerous filters and features to make the search and analysis as fast and efficient as possible.
Geospatial Imagery Analytics Market
Various graphic products that can convey data about human activities or natural phenomena on the surface of the Earth belong to the broad term geospatial images. This concept includes panchromatic, multispectral and hyperspectral images, maps and 3D images created from digital elevation models. Geospatial imagery analytics is about extracting valuable information from satellite images of the Earth and aerial imagery, using appropriate tools to make effective decisions in various industries and business sectors.
Due to the expansion of commercial use of geospatial information and technologies, the market for analytics of such data is growing. Solutions for analyzing geospatial images are also actively used by governments around the world to ensure security.
The list of key market players includes such well-known companies as Maxar Technologies, Oracle, Google, and Microsoft. Currently, they are working to strengthen their position and focus on developing partnerships, joint ventures, product innovation and the latest developments.
In 2019, Trimble released TerraFlex field software to make it easier to record GIS elements. Also, by combining the Trimble GNSS system with TruPulse laser rangefinders, the range of Trimble GNSS has increased. Orbital Insight launched the GO platform in May of that year. It is designed to track global trends.
In January 2023, EOS Data Analytics, a provider of satellite imagery analytics, launched EOS SAT-1 into low earth orbit. This unit was the first of a satellite constellation that is planned to be entirely launched by 2025. The main task of the seven optical EOS SAT satellites is a global farming land monitoring. The uniqueness of this project lies in the fact that the agro-focused satellite constellation is being launched for the first time by a company that has its own software products based on remote sensing technologies.
Geospatial Information is a Commodity of the Future
The growth in using satellite pictures of the Earth from commercial providers was one of the consequences of the full-scale military invasion of the Russian Federation in Ukraine. In this regard, the demand for information about the content of satellite images is also growing since more than obtaining numerous images in itself is needed.
Turning valuable information extracted from satellite images into a commodity became a matter of general interest after the outbreak of hostilities in Ukraine. The US and Ukrainian military receive pictures regularly. It has become evident to others that many issues can be resolved remotely without being physically present on the scene if you carefully study satellite images. For example, participants at the GEOINT symposium in Aurora, Colorado, insist that satellite images can track the progress of tank columns and analyze climate change.
The war in Ukraine has also caused panic in the grain markets. However, satellite imagery helps to solve some problems in this area. For example, traders can gauge the price outlook by seeing which fields are planted. Large companies can also track shipments by checking the locations of aircraft delivering orders.
Companies in the GIS Data Analytics: EOSDA LandViewer
EOS Data Analytics created a digital tool for quick search, visualization and processing of data for various business and purposes, EOSDA LandViewer. This tool enables receiving images from multiple sources, including Sentinel and Landsat satellites. Users can search for satellite images worldwide by highlighting their area of interest and processing images on a single platform, then download them anytime, saving time and space on their devices.
EOSDA LandViewer makes it easy to track changes over time. The abundance of data available from Sentinel-2, updated every week, and historical Landsat data can be analyzed with the help of the EOSDA LandViewer Time Series Analysis feature. The analysis results will be presented to the user as an easily interpretable graph.
To gain a deeper understanding of land cover, users can apply the platform’s features to calculate the spectral indices values (GCI, SAVI, ARVI, EVI, SIPI, and NBR) that complement the generalized NDVI analysis. For example, NBR values calculation can help evaluate fires’ effects by finding burnt areas against a background of healthy vegetation.
The values of several indices help to gain a deeper understanding of plants’ health. Applying a spectral index to a selected area, users see a detailed legend where each class contains a brief description and is highlighted differently.
Using the clustering feature enables highlighting averaged index values in a separate layer on the map by splitting the AOI into several zones (clusters). The platform also has a split view feature for more convenient tracking of changes. The user can compare two images of the same area of interest on the same screen, applying various image processing options.
Conclusion
Satellite images are a source of valuable information, which is not always available by other means. That’s why they play a crucial role in the modern world. Many enterprises today can observe and analyze events and the changes they lead to from space. Satellite imagery analytics has become available to many users, unlike in the past when only governments could enjoy these benefits. High-resolution satellite imagery helps industries and businesses gain comprehensive insights and make better decisions.