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Urban planning

Up to 80 per cent of data used in the transport, insurance, commerce, banking, industry and franchising sectors can be georeferenced to derive more meaningful information. Population growth and distribution in different zones of activity, and communication networks and infrastructures are key factors in strategic planning and decision-making. Satellite imagemaps produced by Spot Image and integrated in geographic information systems help to understand projects more clearly and to communicate them more effectively.

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Eyes in the sky

With the advent of the space era, we humans caught our first glimpse of the world where we live as it really looks. By giving us the global picture, the first spacecraft extended our horizons and revealed Earth in a completely new light.

Today, Earth observation satellites are vital asset for science, industry and the military alike. Carrying ever-enhanced viewing instruments, they can acquire repeat coverage of vast areas systematically and yield very detailed images.

The SPOT satellites have set the standard for other civil Earth observation systems to follow. They allow us to pick out objects on the ground no larger than 10 metres-and soon only a few metres with SPOT 5-from images covering an area of 60 by 60 kilometres. Because their imaging instruments can be steered off nadir for oblique viewing, they can acquire imagery of an area of interest more frequently. And now, with SPOT 5, large-scale acquisition of stereopair imagery will become a reality.
The SPOT satellites offer an objective and detailed view, repeat acquisition and operational flexibility through daily satellite programming-key advantages that are closely adapted to users' requirements across a wide spectrum of applications including:

agriculture
mapping
urban planning
forest management
natural disaster management
geology,oil and mineral exploration
water resources management
costal studies and oceanography
monitoring and surveillance

Find out more about SPOT applications at: http://www.spotimage.fr/accueil/appli/welcome.htm

SPOT 5 data offer users an easy way to access information of superior quality. The SPOT 5 Preparatory Programme has already shown how SPOT 5 is going to benefit and drive growth of applications, particularly in mapping and 3D visualization, agriculture, forestry, natural disaster management, telecommunications and urban planning.

Mapping

Statistics published by the United Nations indicate that only 44% of Earth's landmasses have been mapped at widely used scales. What is more, many maps are out of date, unreliable and inaccurate. SPOT imagery is an ideal tool for updating topographic maps and producing thematic maps. SPOT data can be used as a basemapping solution in poorly mapped regions or to fill in additional detail in existing maps and databases of regions where coverage is more complete. SPOT's global coverage makes it possible to acquire data on any region in the world.

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Forest management

Good forest management starts with good-quality maps. SPOT satellite imagery facilitates small- and large-scale forecasting of yields in wooded areas, thus enabling better protection and more efficient management of natural resources. Global SPOT coverage makes it possible to acquire reliable and up-to-date information anywhere in the world.
SPOT data can be used as a basemapping solution in poorly mapped regions or to fill in additional detail in existing maps and databases of regions where coverage is more complete.

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Natural disaster management

Nature can be unpredictable. In the event of a flood, forest fire or volcano eruption, field teams rely on precise predictive models, close real-time monitoring, emergency planning and prediction of impacts for effective disaster response.
SPOT satellite imagery is a key tool for natural disaster management, as it highlights the impacts of changes on the surface of the Earth. Whether for studying long-term patterns or keeping track of a situation as it evolves, the SPOT satellites' frequent revisit capability means that an area of interest can be covered 11 times within a single 26-day orbital cycle. And imagery from the global SPOT archive of nearly six million scenes provides information on the natural environment as far back as 1986.

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Water resource management

SPOT imagery is a vital tool for developing a more effective approach to water resource management, providing detailed information about a specific site or a wider picture to reveal water and soil interactions. Applications include emergency response in the event of a natural disaster such as a flood and exploitation of water resources for irrigation, leisure and other human activities.

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Monitoring and surveillance

A thorough knowledge of terrain has always been a decisive factor in the success of any military operation. Today, Spot Image offers reliable and current images that give a realistic picture of terrain before reaching the theatre of operations. The SPOT satellites provide global coverage and rapid response in a crisis situation.
SPOT imagery is not classified and is therefore easily accessible.

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