Planet Labs runs the world’s largest group of Earth imaging satellites. Every day, they capture fresh images of the entire planet.
The company started as Cosmogia, a small startup, and then grew into a publicly traded public benefit corporation. Their focus is on making global change visible and actionable.
Planet Labs has a clear goal: image the whole Earth every day. They want to make global change visible, accessible, and actionable for governments and businesses everywhere.
Their satellites collect over 30 terabytes of data every single day. This data helps customers keep tabs on environmental changes, track deforestation, and monitor crops in real time.
Planet Labs delivers high-res images that update daily, not just weekly or monthly like old-school satellite services. Companies rely on this data for quick decisions about supply chains, environmental monitoring, and disaster response.
But their vision goes further than just snapping pictures. Planet Labs wants to open up Earth observation data so more organizations can understand what’s happening to our planet.
Planet Labs got its start in 2010 under the name Cosmogia. A group of engineers came together, hoping to change how we observe Earth from space.
The founders chose to build small, affordable satellites instead of giant, pricey ones. This decision let them launch lots of satellites quickly and without breaking the bank.
By 2016, Planet Labs had designed, built, and launched more than 100 small satellites. They aimed to run 150 satellites in sun-synchronous orbit, capturing daily images of all land masses.
Their headquarters sits in San Francisco, California. From there, they manage the largest fleet of imaging satellites in operation right now.
Planet Labs PBC works as a public benefit corporation, balancing profit with social and environmental goals. This legal setup means they consider more than just shareholder interests.
The public benefit corporation status lets Planet Labs chase their mission of planetary monitoring while staying accountable to investors. They report on social and environmental progress alongside financials.
This structure helps them make Earth observation data accessible for environmental protection and climate monitoring. Public benefit corporations can put long-term planetary health ahead of quick profits.
Planet Labs trades on the public market but keeps its commitment to using satellite imagery for global good. The PBC label keeps their environmental mission front and center as they grow.
Planet Labs runs several satellite constellations that deliver daily Earth imaging through hundreds of small satellites. Their fleets include the PlanetScope Dove satellites, SkySat for high-resolution imaging, the retired RapidEye, and the new Pelican constellation.
PlanetScope is Planet Labs’ biggest satellite fleet in orbit. These Dove satellites are tiny—just 10x10x30 centimeters and about 5 kilograms each.
Over 150 active Doves capture images of every landmass on Earth each day. Each satellite delivers 3-meter resolution across a 24-kilometer swath.
Key Specs:
The satellites fly in a sun-synchronous orbit, crossing the equator around 9:30 AM local time. This gives consistent lighting, which is great for agriculture and environmental monitoring.
Planet Labs builds these CubeSats using commercial parts. This keeps costs down and lets them swap out old satellites fast.
The SkySat group delivers high-resolution images with 15 working satellites. They can revisit any spot on Earth up to 10 times a day, with sub-meter resolution.
Each SkySat weighs about 110 kilograms and flies at 450 kilometers altitude. These satellites can snap still images and record video.
Imaging Details:
Customers can request specific times and places for SkySat to capture images. This is super useful for tracking fast changes or handling emergencies.
SkySats use pushbroom sensors and can shoot images at different angles during one pass. This lets them create stereo images and 3D models.
Planet Labs bought the RapidEye constellation in 2015 and ran it until March 2020 when they retired it. RapidEye had five identical satellites, each offering 5-meter resolution.
These satellites lasted 11 years, way past their planned 7-year mission. During that time, they covered a 77-kilometer swath and could revisit daily.
Historical Specs:
The red edge band was a big deal for vegetation and crop health analysis. It helped tell healthy crops apart from stressed ones.
Planet Labs folded RapidEye data into its archive, building one of the world’s largest commercial Earth observation datasets. The constellation kept working while Planet got its Dove satellites up and running.
Pelican is Planet Labs’ newest set of Earth imaging satellites. These satellites fill the gap between the frequent Dove constellation and the high-res SkySat system.
Pelican satellites are bigger than Doves but smaller than the usual Earth observation platforms. They deliver better image quality but still keep the cost benefits of small satellites.
Expected Features:
These satellites use advanced sensors and improved buses. That means better image stability and longer lifespans.
Planet Labs designed Pelican to work alongside their other constellations, not replace them. This way, customers can pick the resolution and revisit rate that suits their needs.
Planet Labs built its Earth observation tech around advanced CubeSat technology and powerful imaging systems. Their modular Smallsat Platform lets them quickly roll out high-res satellites with custom sensors for all kinds of monitoring.
Planet Labs shook up satellite tech with their standardized CubeSat designs. They now run the world’s largest fleet of Earth imaging satellites, launching over 100 small satellites since 2011.
The Smallsat Platform forms the backbone of Planet’s latest constellations. This modular system packs a 600-watt power supply and high agility for precise pointing. It supports many launch providers and connects smoothly with Planet’s ground network.
Each satellite comes with multiple terabytes of onboard storage and advanced processors—FPGAs, GPUs, and space-qualified CPUs. Fast data transfer happens through CAN, Ethernet, SpaceFiber, and PCIe.
Planet’s CubeSat deployer makes constellation launches efficient. Their factory can make up to 24 Pelican-class satellites a year, plus 80 SuperDove CubeSats. This lean setup lets them build satellites as needed and quickly adapt missions.
Planet’s satellites use smart imaging sensors for continuous Earth monitoring. The Pelican fleet delivers very high-resolution optical images, adding to what SkySat already offers.
Hyperspectral instruments on the Tanager constellation provide about 400 spectral bands. These sensors capture 30-meter resolution data, revealing detailed environmental and climate patterns. The advanced sensors can detect changes across many parts of the spectrum.
Satellites also carry forward-looking wide-field cameras for extra coverage. Real-time intersatellite links let the fleet coordinate imaging. Each satellite uses an Nvidia Jetson-2 platform to analyze images onboard, so they don’t have to wait for downlink.
High-speed radios push data at up to 10 Gbps per satellite. Each satellite can downlink 1-2 terabytes of imagery daily through Planet’s global ground stations.
Planet’s high-res satellites use advanced radiometric calibration for precise measurements. Automated sensor tweaks keep image quality solid, even with changing light or clouds.
Radiometric resolution lets satellites spot subtle changes in surface reflectance. The system delivers calibrated data for science and business uses. Multi-spectral sensors grab info across visible and near-infrared bands.
Spatial resolution depends on the fleet. Pelican satellites give sub-meter images for detailed analysis. SkySat delivers sharp images for mapping. SuperDove offers 3-meter resolution for broad-area daily monitoring.
Ground systems turn raw satellite data into images ready for analysis. The satellites also have onboard edge computing to process some data before sending it down.
Planet Labs works with several launch providers and deployment methods to keep its huge satellite constellation growing. They’ve teamed up with SpaceX for most launches, but also use ISS deployments and other rockets for flexibility.
Planet Labs led the way in using the International Space Station to deploy small satellites. The ISS gives them a cheap way to send up lots of CubeSats at once.
They send groups of satellites to the ISS on cargo missions. Astronauts then release them into orbit using special deployment systems. This method lets Planet Labs launch dozens of satellites without needing their own rocket.
Deploying from the ISS has perks. Satellites end up in a stable orbit about 400 kilometers above Earth. Plus, they can tweak the deployment schedule as needed.
SpaceX has become Planet Labs’ main launch partner through rideshare missions. The Transporter series offers regular, affordable rides for small satellites.
Planet Labs launched Tanager-1 and 36 SuperDoves on SpaceX’s Transporter-11 mission out of Vandenberg Space Force Base in August 2024. They often book spots on these rideshares to keep adding new satellites.
The Falcon 9 rocket provides reliable, frequent access to space. SpaceX’s rideshare program lets Planet Labs split launch costs with other satellite operators. Thanks to this, they’ve launched over 650 Earth imaging satellites so far.
Recent missions included several Pelican satellites sent to Vandenberg for Falcon 9 launches. Their partnership with SpaceX keeps growing as Planet Labs expands its fleet.
Planet Labs keeps relationships with other launch providers to boost mission flexibility. Rocket Lab runs dedicated small satellite launches out of New Zealand’s Māhia Peninsula.
They’ve also teamed up with Orbital ATK (now Northrop Grumman) for cargo missions to the ISS. By working with different providers, Planet Labs avoids putting all its eggs in one basket.
If one provider hits a delay, Planet Labs can fall back on another. They shift deployment schedules based on what launch slots open up.
Planet Labs delivers earth imaging through several types of satellites, capturing data in both visible and near-infrared spectrums. Their constellation covers the globe every day, with resolutions from 30 centimeters to 5 meters per pixel.
You get access to huge datasets, all available through cloud-based platforms. It’s honestly a bit wild how much data they collect.
Planet Labs satellites snap images across five spectral bands, running from visible to near-infrared. This multispectral method lets users analyze things the human eye just can’t pick up.
The Dove satellites gather data in four bands: blue, green, red, and near-infrared. Each band helps with a different kind of analysis, and near-infrared is especially handy for checking vegetation health and crop conditions.
SkySat satellites take things further. They use higher-resolution sensors to grab multispectral data at 50 centimeters per pixel, so you get more detail for surface analysis.
Then there’s the Pelican constellation, which is the most advanced in Planet’s lineup. These newer satellites capture five-band imagery at a sharp 30-centimeter resolution, mixing spectral depth with crisp spatial detail.
Near-infrared data matters a lot for agriculture, forest management, and environmental monitoring. Plants reflect near-infrared light differently depending on their health, so this band is crucial for analyzing vegetation.
Planet Labs’ big constellation lets them image the whole world every day. The Dove satellites are the workhorses here, covering all landmasses every 24 hours.
Because of this daily monitoring, you can spot changes as they happen. Deforestation, new buildings, shifts in crops, or even natural disasters—they all show up fast.
SkySat satellites add even more flexibility. They can swing by the same area up to 10 times a day, which is pretty useful for time-sensitive stuff.
That kind of revisit rate really makes a difference for disaster response. Emergency teams get almost real-time images to see what’s changed, coordinate relief, and keep tabs on the situation.
Farmers and ag experts get a lot out of this too, especially during growing seasons. Daily images let them watch crops develop, spot problems early, and make smarter decisions.
Planet Labs pulls in a staggering amount of satellite imagery every day, building one of the world’s largest earth observation datasets. They capture over 100 million square kilometers daily.
Cloud-based delivery makes all that data available to users around the world. The Planet Insights Platform brings together data access, processing, and analytics in one spot.
You can choose from raw images or analysis-ready datasets. Visual Basemaps give you cloud-free mosaics for easy viewing, while Surface Reflectance Basemaps offer calibrated data for scientific use.
Machine learning processes incoming images to create Analytic Feeds. These feeds spot and classify objects, track land cover changes, and highlight features over huge areas.
With API access, organizations can plug Planet’s data right into their workflows. They can search archives, automate data pulls, and get alerts for new imagery in their areas of interest.
Planet Labs turns raw satellite images into actionable insights using analytics and cloud-based platforms. Their approach combines daily earth observation with advanced processing tools and flexible delivery.
The Planet Insights Platform acts as the main hub for earth observation analytics. It brings together Planet’s analysis-ready data with cloud-based tools.
Users can analyze, stream, and share satellite data at a global scale. The platform processes daily images into clear, usable insights.
Key features include:
Planet merged with Sentinel Hub to boost its analytical power. This combo brings together Planet’s data and Sentinel Hub’s cloud infrastructure.
Organizations use the platform for managing large regions. Government agencies and businesses get the info they need to make solid, data-driven decisions.
Planet delivers satellite insights through different integration channels. GIS integrations connect right into the mapping systems that enterprises and government agencies already use.
Developer APIs let teams build custom apps and automate workflows. These APIs make it easy to weave Planet’s earth observation data into existing software.
API features:
The Planet Analytics system taps deep learning and computer vision to turn images into structured data. These feeds spot objects, pick out features, and monitor changes over time.
Data comes in standard GeoJSON and GeoTIFF formats. That way, it works with all sorts of mapping and analysis tools.
Planet’s cloud infrastructure handles data processing and delivery at a global scale. The system manages petabytes of satellite imagery every day using distributed computing.
Cloud analytics offers:
Users get insights through web dashboards and mobile apps. With the cloud model, organizations don’t have to set up their own satellite data systems.
Analytics feeds keep tabs on specific areas of interest. Organizations get alerts when satellites spot changes in their regions.
The platform supports both real-time and historical data access. Users can compare current images with older ones to spot long-term trends.
Planet Labs’ satellite network gives organizations daily earth observation data that really changes how they see and respond to what’s happening on the planet. Their high-res images support everything from city planning and emergency response to agriculture.
Urban planners lean on Planet Labs’ daily imagery to watch city growth and infrastructure projects. The detailed data lets cities track construction, monitor land use, and plan future development.
City governments analyze traffic and population shifts using consistent satellite coverage. This guides decisions on where to build new roads, schools, and public spaces.
Infrastructure monitoring gets a boost from Planet’s frequent images. Engineers can spot changes in bridges, highways, and utilities before issues get out of hand.
Satellite data also powers smart city projects. Planners measure urban heat islands, keep tabs on green spaces, and even monitor air quality from orbit.
Planet’s images help cities meet environmental rules. Officials document urban sprawl, track paved surfaces, and measure progress toward sustainability.
Emergency teams count on Planet Labs data for fast disaster assessment and recovery. Daily satellite images show before-and-after views of floods, wildfires, and earthquakes.
Flood monitoring uses Planet’s frequent revisits to track water levels and pinpoint affected areas. Response crews can get resources where they’re needed most, fast.
Environmental scientists spot deforestation, illegal logging, and habitat loss with regular satellite checks. The data reveals changes that ground teams might miss.
Carbon emissions estimation projects tap Planet’s imagery to track industrial activity and land use changes. Researchers measure the environmental impact of development over time.
Water managers use Planet’s spectral bands to watch for water quality problems. They monitor algae blooms, pollution, and drought across big regions.
Earth observation data helps predict environmental trends. Scientists model climate impacts and help communities prepare for what’s next.
Farmers use Planet Labs imagery for crop health checks and yield predictions through the growing season. Satellite data catches stress, irrigation issues, and pest trouble before it’s obvious on the ground.
Yield prediction models mix Planet’s spectral data with weather info to forecast harvests. Farmers use this to make smarter choices about planting and harvesting.
Forest managers track individual tree loss thanks to Planet’s sharp resolution. The data spots diseased trees, illegal logging, and fire damage at the tree level.
Agricultural researchers study crop growth and timing across regions. Planet’s steady data stream supports long-term studies of farming practices.
Biomass estimation uses near-infrared bands to measure plant health and growth. This helps drive precision agriculture, cutting waste and boosting yields.
Forest conservation teams rely on Planet data to watch protected areas and track reforestation. The imagery documents habitat changes and supports enforcement of environmental rules.
Planet Labs has built partnerships with governments, nonprofits, and businesses to expand earth observation. They work with NASA scientists, support environmental monitoring, and serve clients in agriculture, defense, and finance.
Planet Labs partners with NASA and government agencies around the world. Founded in 2010 by three NASA scientists, the company brings deep experience in satellite tech and earth observation.
Government agencies use Planet’s daily imagery for critical tasks. Defense groups analyze the data for energy and food security, while intelligence agencies rely on frequent updates for tactical decisions.
The company has landed big contract renewals with agencies worldwide. These deals show Planet’s value in supporting environmental protection with advanced satellites.
Planet’s government work goes beyond the U.S. International agencies rely on Planet’s roughly 200 imaging satellites for different monitoring needs. The data helps them track changes across landmasses every day.
Impact Observatory joined forces with Planet Labs in July 2023 to monitor land cover and land use. They use AI-powered analytics on Planet’s high-frequency data to track environmental changes worldwide.
Planet supports sustainability by powering data-driven environmental monitoring. Their imagery helps organizations measure climate impacts and build traceable supply chains. Financial firms spot climate-related trends and risks using the data.
Accenture teamed up with Planet to build geospatial solutions for the Inter-American Development Bank. Together, they created AI models to assess climate change impacts on energy in Central America and the Caribbean.
Environmental groups use Planet’s data to monitor deforestation, urban growth, and agriculture. The daily imaging lets researchers catch rapid changes that older systems would miss.
Planet works with over 800 customers in different industries. Agriculture companies use satellite data for crop monitoring and yield forecasts. Forestry organizations keep an eye on forest health and timber with Planet’s imagery.
The finance sector is a growing market for Planet. Investment firms analyze images to track commodities and infrastructure, while insurance companies use the data for risk and claims.
Accenture’s partnership with Planet shows how businesses use satellite data for sustainability and supply chain tracking.
Planet processes over 30 TB of data per day from its satellites. This huge volume lets companies make decisions based on up-to-date earth observation, not old images.
Planet Labs has really carved out a leading spot in Earth observation. They’ve pulled off strong revenue growth and expanded their reach through some smart acquisitions.
Their financial trajectory just keeps getting better. Backed by hefty venture capital and key acquisitions like BlackBridge and Terra Bella, they’re not slowing down.
Planet Labs pulled in $66.3 million in Q1 2025 revenue, beating analyst expectations of $62.36 million. That’s a 9.6% year-over-year jump from the previous quarter.
For the 12 months ending January 31, 2025, they grew annual revenue by 11%. Management is aiming for 10.5% growth in 2025 and 21% in fiscal year 2027, with a target of $326.7 million.
They keep a healthy balance sheet—$226 million in cash and no debt as of April 2025. The company slashed annual cash burn by 44% while still growing revenue, which says a lot about their efficiency.
Analysts believe Planet Labs will hit cash flow breakeven before their reserves run out. This stability lets them keep investing in growth and new markets.
Planet Labs attracted big-name Silicon Valley investors throughout its growth. They went public via a SPAC merger, which brought in even more capital for expansion.
Their current market cap sits at $1.17 billion. That number shows investors are betting on both the Earth observation market and Planet Labs’ edge.
With all this backing, Planet Labs built the largest fleet of Earth-imaging satellites anywhere. Venture funding covered satellite manufacturing, launches, and tech development—everything they needed to stay ahead.
In 2015, Planet Labs bought BlackBridge and picked up the RapidEye satellite constellation. That move added five satellites and boosted their global coverage for commercial clients.
Then in 2017, they acquired Terra Bella from Google. That deal brought in the SkySat constellation and some slick imaging tech, including seven high-res satellites for both stills and video.
These deals put Planet Labs at the top of the commercial Earth observation game. With combined fleets, their monitoring capabilities are tough to beat.
Planet Labs has overhauled its operations with smarter fleet management and cost-cutting. They’re not just sitting still—they’ve got big plans for constellation expansions and are reaching deeper into defense, commercial, and government markets.
Planet Labs runs one of the biggest commercial satellite fleets, using small satellites called Doves and SuperDoves. They’ve streamlined things by standardizing satellite designs and automating manufacturing.
Their satellite operations now hit 55% GAAP margins—a 300 basis point gain from last year. These margins improved thanks to cost savings in operations and data processing.
Planet Labs manages its constellation from ground stations around the globe. This spread-out approach keeps costs down and coverage up.
Each small satellite weighs about 5 kilograms and measures 10x10x30 centimeters. They replace satellites pretty often since smallsats don’t last as long as the big ones.
By swapping out satellites regularly, Planet Labs keeps its technology fresh and avoids huge capital outlays.
Planet Labs just welcomed Pelican-2 and a batch of 36 SuperDoves at Vandenberg Space Force Base for early 2025 launches on SpaceX’s Transporter-12. These new additions will seriously boost their imaging power.
The Tanager-1 satellite now delivers hyperspectral data covering 300,000 square kilometers daily. With this, they can detect methane and monitor the environment—a service government clients pay top dollar for.
They’ve lined up more launches with SpaceX and other partners. Their capital spending for the year—$50-65 million—matches their plan to grow the fleet but stay efficient.
Future satellites will get better AI and sensors. These upgrades should help Planet Labs win bigger contracts in defense and environmental monitoring.
Planet Labs keeps growing its reach through government deals and commercial partnerships. They landed an eight-figure European defense contract and upped their German government deal to over $7 million for environmental insights.
Their California Air Resources Board partnership is worth $95 million for methane detection. That’s a huge vote of confidence in their ability to deliver on large-scale environmental needs.
They’ve also rolled out the Aircraft Detection analytic feed and improved their self-serve Insights Platform. These tools help them attract more small and medium businesses.
Planet Labs brings in 97% recurring revenue, which makes for steady cash flow. That kind of stability helps them invest in new satellites and tech for global markets.
Planet Labs has built up massive archives from its retired missions. The RapidEye constellation, for example, created the world’s biggest collection of five-meter resolution imagery.
Their early demonstration satellites really laid the groundwork for today’s commercial Earth observation industry.
The RapidEye constellation ran for 11 years before retiring in March 2020. It outlasted its original design life by almost four years.
Planet Labs picked up RapidEye from BlackBridge in 2015. The satellites launched back in 2008 from Kazakhstan on a Dnepr rocket, heading into sun-synchronous orbit.
During its run, RapidEye hit some impressive numbers:
This fleet built the largest global archive of five-meter satellite imagery ever. Planet Labs still keeps this archive open for customers.
RapidEye’s five spectral bands—red, green, blue, near-infrared, and red-edge—let users do detailed vegetation and agricultural analysis.
The mission lasted longer than anyone expected and proved commercial Earth observation satellites could work. Planet Labs retired the fleet on their own terms, following debris rules and best practices.
In the early 2010s, Planet Labs launched its first demo satellites to test smallsat concepts. These early Dove satellites checked out miniaturized imaging and how constellations could work together.
Founders Will Marshall and Robbie Schingler, both former NASA scientists, started Planet Labs in 2010. They kicked things off by building small satellites in a San Francisco garage.
Those first demonstration missions showed CubeSats could handle Earth observation. Their 3U CubeSats proved you could get commercial-quality images at a fraction of the old costs.
The Dove satellites also tested rapid satellite deployment and replacement. This let Planet Labs keep improving their designs and launch updates fast.
These early projects set the tone for Planet Labs’ agile, innovative approach. They showed that rapid iteration really can drive satellite tech forward.
Thanks to these early missions, Planet Labs proved smallsat constellations could provide daily global coverage. That’s now the backbone of their PlanetScope constellation, which has over 200 satellites.
Planet Labs runs the world’s largest fleet of Earth observation satellites. They deliver daily imagery and analytics to customers everywhere, serving agriculture, government, defense, and commercial sectors with a range of programs and tools.
Planet Labs’ satellite data gets used in all sorts of industries. Farmers use it to track crop health and estimate biomass with daily 10-meter resolution images.
Government and defense agencies rely on the imagery for national security and intelligence. The satellites provide steady coverage, which helps track infrastructure and land use changes.
Environmental researchers use high-res tropical imagery from the NICFI program to fight deforestation and study climate change. This data offers less than 5 meters per pixel, perfect for monitoring tropical regions.
Commercial businesses tap into Planet Labs data for supply chain tracking, infrastructure planning, and risk assessment. Daily updates let them keep an eye on changes in real time.
Planet Labs fields the largest constellation of Earth observation satellites, offering daily global coverage that’s tough for rivals to match. They use small CubeSats that work together as a team.
Their network captures images at regular intervals, not just occasional snapshots. This setup helps users spot changes and monitor trends more precisely than traditional systems.
They focus on accessibility too. Programs like the Media and Think Tank Program give accredited news outlets access to commercial satellite imagery for reporting.
Planet Labs delivers data in several formats, from visual mosaics to surface reflectance products. Users can get raw images or processed analytics, depending on what they need.
Planet Labs satellites take images daily across their coverage areas. The standard PlanetScope imagery is 3-meter resolution, which works for most monitoring needs.
Crop biomass products provide daily coverage at 10-meter resolution. Pixel values run from 0 (low biomass) to 1 (high biomass), so farmers and analysts can see changes fast.
The NICFI program delivers high-res images—less than 5 meters per pixel—focused on tropical regions. It’s a key tool for deforestation and climate research.
Actual coverage depends on satellite position and what the customer wants. Most places get imaged every day, though weather and orbital mechanics can sometimes get in the way.
Organizations get Planet Labs imagery through the Planet Account Manager and various access programs. There are different options depending on whether you need commercial access or qualify for special programs.
News outlets and research groups can apply for the Media and Think Tank Program to get commercial imagery for public stories. This program is aimed at journalists and non-university research.
The Planet Insights Platform gives users browser-based tools and APIs for analysis and visualization. You can manage areas of interest, search for data, preview it, and order what you need.
Planet Labs’ support teams help customers learn the ropes and answer technical questions. They offer flexible help so organizations can fit satellite imagery into their workflows smoothly.
Planet Labs’ technical support teams help customers with security questions and implementation. They also provide resources on proper data handling and access control.
Getting access to commercial satellite imagery requires organizations to go through accreditation and verification. Each program and product has its own criteria.
The Planet Account Manager system controls who can see what, managing permissions across different users and departments. This keeps sensitive imagery in the right hands.
For data delivery, Planet Labs uses secure transmission methods to protect imagery as it moves from their servers to client systems. They stick to industry-standard security protocols for every transaction.
Planet Labs helps environmental monitoring through the NICFI Data Program. This program gives researchers free access to high-resolution tropical imagery, which they use to fight deforestation.
They focus on regions where forest loss puts the global climate at risk. By providing daily images, Planet Labs lets environmental scientists spot deforestation and land use changes right as they happen, not weeks or months later.
This real-time view means people can respond to threats much faster. Climate change researchers also use Planet Labs imagery to keep track of environmental indicators across huge areas.
With steady daily coverage, scientists can build strong datasets and see how conditions shift over time. I think that’s pretty useful, honestly.
Farmers and agricultural groups also benefit. They use daily crop biomass data to fine-tune water, fertilizer, and other resources, making their work more sustainable.