# Planet Labs

## URL

<https://www.planet.com/>

## Description

Use Planet Labs to find optical satellite imagery around the world.

Planet Labs collects three types of satellite imagery:

* PlanetScope images are low-resolution (3 meter) images that are collected automatically on a near-daily basis around the world. They have eight optical bands, from "coastal blue" (443nm) to near-infrared (865nm). Similar quality images were formerly captured by RapidEye, a now-retired satellite constellation.
* SkySat images are high resolution (50 centimeter) images with four optical bands (blue, green, red and near-infrared.) These images are collected in response to taskings (requesting the collection of imagery at a particular place). After a tasking, the collected image is available for anyone to purchase.
* Tanager images are captured by a new satellite made available in September 2025. These images are lower resolution (30 meters) but capture hyperspectral imagery with 424 narrow optical bands. This can be used for specialized applications such as methane plume detection.

The primary tool for accessing these images is the Planet Explorer.

Without a paid plan, it is not possible to access Planet Explorer and search for images. However, images are available for purchase from other satellite brokers such as Apollo Imaging and SkyFi. This is the best way to obtain a paid satellite image on a one-off basis.

## Cost

* [ ] Free
* [x] Partially Free
* [ ] Paid

Planet Labs [provides limited access](https://www.planet.com/industries/education-and-research/) to low-resolution PlanetScope (and archived RapidEye) images for university affiliated students and faculty.

Access to high resolution imagery and taskings requires a paid subscription plan with Planet. The cost and tiers of subscriptions are not publicly available.

A limited selection of data is available for free through Planet's [Open Data Program](https://www.planet.com/data/stac/browser/?.language=en).

## Level of difficulty

<table><thead><tr><th data-type="rating" data-max="5"></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1</td></tr></tbody></table>

## Requirements

Any modern web browser is sufficient to access Planet Explorer and order satellite imagery. The imagery itself is distributed as large GeoTIFF files that are best viewed in [QGIS](https://bellingcat.gitbook.io/toolkit/more/all-tools/qgis).

## Limitations

Since mid-March, Planet has [not released imagery](https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/satellite-firm-planet-labs-indefinitely-withhold-iran-war-images-2026-04-05/) of much of the Middle East, including Iran, Israel, Lebanon, and military bases across the region through Planet Explorer.

## Ethical Considerations

\-

## Guides and articles

\-

## Tool provider

Planet, U.S.

## Advertising Trackers

* [ ] This tool has not been checked for advertising trackers yet.
* [x] This tool uses tracking cookies. Use with caution.
* [ ] This tool does not appear to use tracking cookies.

| Page maintainer                                   |
| ------------------------------------------------- |
| Author: Logan Williams, Reviewed: Sophie Tedling: |
|                                                   |


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