Blog

Detection of Illegal Construction in Satellite Images
2025-03-10
~ 7 min
(Article updated: 2025-03-10)
Satellite imagery is revolutionizing the detection of illegal construction. By combining high-resolution images with building registry data, tools like OnGeo Intelligence enable municipalities to identify unpermitted structures, recover lost tax revenue, and address safety hazards. Learn how this technology works and how you can use it to prove unauthorized building activities.
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Unveiling Australia from Space: How Maxar’s DigitalGlobe Mapped an Entire Continent
2025-03-07
~ 4 min
(Article updated: 2025-03-07)
Maxar’s DigitalGlobe, in partnership with PSMA Australia, has achieved a groundbreaking milestone in geospatial mapping—Geoscape, the first high-resolution dataset covering the entire Australian continent. By 2018, the project had mapped 7.6 million square kilometers and analyzed over 15 million buildings, revolutionizing data-driven decision-making for businesses, governments, and researchers.
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Essential Tips for Interpreting Satellite Imagery Like a Pro
2025-03-06
~ 8 min
(Article updated: 2025-03-06)
Satellite images are rich sources of information, but unlocking their full potential requires the right approach. This guide covers essential techniques for interpreting satellite imagery, including understanding image scale, recognizing patterns and textures, analyzing colors and shadows, and applying contextual knowledge.
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Satellite Earth observation, showing image frequency variation
2025-03-04
~ 5 min
(Article updated: 2025-03-04)
Satellites like Landsat 8 photograph Earth every 16 days, Sentinel-2 every 5 days, and Planet Dove every day. However, clouds can ruin an image, and commercial providers like Maxar or Airbus often take pictures on demand. Learn how this process works and who has the most data!
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Off-nadir imagery its use cases and limitations
2025-02-27
~ 3 min
(Article updated: 2025-02-27)
How off-nadir imaging works: Satellites are equipped with sensors that can adjust their viewing angles to capture images of areas not directly beneath them . This capability allows for increased revisit rates, enabling satellites to image specific locations more frequently without waiting for a direct overpass . By tilting their sensors, satellites can also acquire stereoscopic images from different angles, which are useful for creating 3D models of the Earth's surface.
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Add a Satellite Basemap in QGIS
2025-02-25
~ 4 min
(Article updated: 2025-02-25)
Adding Satellite Basemaps in QGIS QGIS makes it seamless to incorporate satellite basemaps—often referred to as "basemaps QGIS" in the geospatial community—using the XYZ Tiles feature. This tool connects you to online tile services from leading providers, delivering high-quality imagery at various zoom levels. Follow these steps to enrich your project with satellite basemaps:
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CORONA Satellite Imagery: The Spy Satellites History
2025-02-18
~ 4 min
(Article updated: 2025-02-18)
The CORONA program was the first successful reconnaissance satellite initiative, providing the U.S. with crucial intelligence during the Cold War. Utilizing film-return capsules and daring mid-air recoveries, it marked a pivotal advancement in espionage technology.
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Satellite view of Mount Etna's eruption, showing a large grey ash plume drifting from the volcano's crater over Sicily and the Mediterranean Sea.
2025-02-17
~ 2 min
(Article updated: 2025-02-17)
The latest satellite images reveal the scale of Mount Etna’s eruption on February 16–17, 2025. This article analyzes terrain changes, the eruption’s impact on the environment and settlements, and the importance of satellite data in monitoring volcanic activity. Discover how modern technology helps predict hazards and minimize the effects of natural disasters. Check out the full analysis based on satellite imagery!
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