PlanetScope Satellite Imagery Archive with Multispectral Bands

A full archive of PlanetScope satellite imagery products, including Level 1B Basic Scenes and Level 3B Ortho Scenes. The data consists of multispectral images in 4-band (blue, green, red, near-infrared) or 8-band (coastal-blue to near-infrared) formats, with ground sampling distances between 3.0 and 4.2 meters and a stated geometric accuracy of less than 10 meters RMSE. The archive is provided by Planet and made available through NASA's Earthdata platform.

Use Cases

• Classify land cover types using the 4-band or 8-band multispectral imagery, including near-infrared and RedEdge bands for vegetation analysis.
• Monitor environmental changes over time by analyzing time-series of orthorectified scenes projected to UTM/WGS84.
• Perform geometric correction and orthorectification on Basic Scene products using the provided Rational Polynomial Coefficients (RPCs) and Digital Elevation Models (DEMs).
• Apply radiometric calibration and atmospheric correction to the Surface Reflectance product for quantitative analysis of surface properties.
• Generate natural color visualizations for human interpretation using the 3-band RGB Visual Ortho Scene product.

Strengths

• Offers high-resolution imagery with ground sampling distances as fine as 3.0 meters.
• Provides multiple product levels, from unrectified radiance to orthorectified surface reflectance, catering to different user expertise levels.
• Includes 8-band multispectral data with coastal-blue, yellow, and RedEdge bands for enhanced spectral analysis beyond standard RGB.

Limitations

• The geometric accuracy of <10 m RMSE may be insufficient for applications requiring centimeter or meter-level precision.
• The Basic Scene product requires advanced user processing for orthorectification, creating a barrier to entry.
• Specific temporal coverage, update frequency, and total archive size are not detailed in the provided description.

Provenance

Source

Planet, via NASA Earthdata (ESA is listed as organization but description references Planet as provider).

Collection Method

Collected by Planet's Dove-C, Dove-R, and SuperDove satellite constellations.

Geography

Global coverage, as implied by a satellite imagery archive, but specific regions are not specified.