PlanetScope

PlanetScope is a constellation of small Earth-observing satellites operated by Planet Labs. Designed to provide frequent, moderate-resolution imagery of land surfaces, it is a flagship product in Planet’s data catalog. The constellation enables near-daily monitoring of broad regions, supporting applications such as agriculture, forestry, urban planning, and environmental monitoring.

The spacecraft are based on Planet's Dove-class CubeSats and carry a four-band multispectral imager plus a higher-resolution panchromatic channel. The multispectral bands—blue, green, red, and near-infrared—support vegetation analysis and land-cover mapping. Typical multispectral ground sample distances are in the range of about 3 to 5 meters, with a finer resolution panchromatic view.

PlanetScope data is distributed commercially through Planet’s platform, with licensing tailored to commercial, governmental, and research needs. Access can be via an API or web-based tools, and customers may order new imagery or access ready-made basemaps and time-series data. Planet also offers educational programs and data grants in some regions.

Limitations include cloud cover and atmospheric effects over some regions, moderate spatial resolution for fine-scale tasks, and large data volumes that require manageable workflows. The system is not designed for night imaging or weather forecasting and does not replace higher-resolution satellites for certain detailed analyses.