At the recent 2024 GeoINT Symposium, Motoyuki Arai, CEO of Synspective, shared insights into the burgeoning capabilities and aspirations of his company, a frontrunner in the field of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) technology. Founded with a vision to revolutionize how we observe Earth, Synspective now operates a growing constellation of SAR satellites, providing critical data across various sectors.

A Constellation Growing in Strength and Scope

Currently boasting three satellites in orbit with two more expected by the end of 2024. Synspective’s SAR satellites are instrumental in gathering high-resolution imagery. This imagery is pivotal for government defense sectors and various commercial industries, including insurance, mining, and infrastructure development. The recent launch of StriX-3 has further bolstered their capabilities, enhancing their observational reach and data acquisition precision.

During the 2024 GeoINT Symposium in Orlando, Airbus unveiled its ambitious initiative, the Pléiades Neo Next program, aiming to expand and enhance its high-resolution Earth observation satellite constellation.

The announcement sets  the stage for the future of global satellite imagery services. Nicolas Jaunard, Head of Marketing Geospatial Products & Services at Airbus, provided detailed insights into the new program during an interview at the event. The Pléiades Neo Next initiative seeks to build on the success of Airbus’s current Pléiades Neo constellation, with a focus on significantly improved resolution, targeting a broad range of applications from defense and intelligence to commercial uses.

An image captured by Pléiades Neo shows 30cm resolution over the Twickenham stadium and surrounding area in London. Pléiades Neo © Airbus DS 2024

Airbus plans to launch the first satellite of this next-generation constellation in the upcoming years, promising advancements that will outpace the existing capabilities. Jaunard pointed out the commitment to maintaining the best resolution available in the market, which currently stands at 30cm optical resolution. He noted that with Pléiades Neo Next, these specifications will be enhanced even further, though specifics about the new resolution levels were not revealed during the interview.

In an enlightening interview, Josh O’Leary, the Chief Technology Officer at AirWise Solutions, discussed the innovative technologies and applications that his company is spearheading in the drone industry. AirWise Solutions has been at the forefront of developing advanced tools for airspace awareness, regulatory compliance, and operational efficiency, particularly in commercial and public safety sectors.

With the UASidekick app you can easily view details for a location including airspace information, weather conditions, and B4UFLY compliance.