We launched Lens with a simple hypothesis: that by expanding access to earth observation, and empowering everyone to engage in remote monitoring and analysis, regardless of technical background, we could change how natural resources were managed. That approachable technology could accelerate the pace and scale of environmental investments.
Today, hundreds of organizations use Lens for just that, with satellite and aerial imagery and geospatial databases now demystified and within reach. Land trusts and state agencies have found land protection violations, timber harvests, and illegal construction. Companies use Lens to set a new standard of transparency and rigor for their nature-based carbon investments. Conservation organizations are monitoring ecological indicators at a frequency and level of insight previously not possible.
For the uninitiated, earth observation data comes in all shapes and sizes, literally. Some satellites are designed to capture high-detail, but only take a picture when someone places an order. Other satellites trade in detail for frequent, global, and regular capture. Before recently, no satellite was detailed, high-frequency, and global.
And technically (if I wore glasses 👓 this would be my opportunity to nudge them up my nose), even now no one satellite does both.
Enter Planet. They took a unique approach by launching over one hundred nimble, capable satellites called Doves. This constellation of satellites, called PlanetScope, makes up the largest coordinated collection of Earth-imaging satellites. Together, they “line scan” the planet to provide imagery of the entire Earth at 4-meter resolution every day.
Clearly, we’ve long-admired Planet. And not just for their technological innovations, but also their aligned mission to use space to help life on earth. So we are thrilled to launch a collaboration: PlanetScope Basemaps are now available for subscription in the Lens Library. You’ll get global access to the monthly visual Basemaps with historical imagery back to the start of 2020, and new Basemaps will appear in Lens like magic 🪄.
We’re in an era of unprecedented access to high-quality data that can inform how we steward our lands and water globally. And we’re thrilled to be part of a movement to put data into the hands of decision-makers who will shape the future of our planet.
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