Get Up-to-Date Satellite Views of Your Property
- Anvita Shrivastava
- 6 days ago
- 4 min read
Regardless of whether you are a homeowner, real estate investor, or just interested in learning more about the area around your house, obtaining up-to-date satellite imagery of your property has never been easier. With advancements in satellite technology, in addition to website applications that utilise this satellite imagery, you can quickly access detailed, current aerial views, some of which are even in 3D resolution, by just clicking and entering your address.
The Value of Accessing Current Satellite Imagery
Up-to-date satellite imagery comes with several benefits of acquiring satellite imagery that are useful:
Property Monitoring: Monitor changes to your property or those around it.
Planning and Development: Use maps to support landscaping, construction, or a redesign project.
Insurance & Claims: Use satellite imagery as evidence to support insurance or claims.
Environmental Monitoring: Monitor for vegetation changes, bodies of water, or land-use types.
Top Platforms for Accessing Current Satellite Imagery
EOS LandViewer
EOS LandViewer provides access to an extensive collection of satellite images, including some captured only recently. Users can sort by date or satellite type and other options to find the latest images of their property.
Google Earth
Google Earth is easy to use and allows users to explore satellite images of the Earth. While the imagery may not always be the latest, it provides a global view of areas. The Google Earth Pro version also provides access to historical imagery for examining changes in time.
USGS EarthExplorer
For US users, USGS Earth Explorer provides access to a variety of both satellite and aerial imagery. Users can search by location, date, and satellite to find the best imagery for their usage.
GeoWGS84 is a top provider of high-resolution satellite, aerial, and drone imagery, and has various products under high, medium, and low-resolution satellites that provide data for nearly every location on Earth. Their platform allows anyone to upload an area of interest and view a comparison of all available imagery for that area, comparing data points by date, price, and resolution from several suppliers, including some of the newest and most detailed commercial satellites currently in orbit.
NASA's Worldview Tool
Worldview is another free and open NASA tool that provides access to recent satellite-based imagery. It connects to the MODIS data, as well as other satellites, and provides imagery each day, although the spatial resolution may not be as fine. You are able to get each day's imagery, and the update frequency is very high. Use their search tool to find your property address, and then select the latest imagery available. You can sort by date and see data across multiple spectral bands.
Maxar Technologies
Maxar Technologies operates as a global leader in satellite imagery and Earth intelligence. In their sizable constellation of high-resolution satellites, they are able to capture high-resolution photographs of nearly every location on the planet. This data is invaluable for purposes such as real estate analysis, urban planning, environmental monitoring, and disaster response.
Advice to Optimise Your Satellite Imagery Usage
Utilise Filter Options: Most services that provide satellite imagery provide at least the option to filter by date, satellite type, and resolution.
Check Resolution: An element to consider is that higher resolution images will have a greater level of detail, but may also be limited in availability.
Take Advantage of Over Time Comparisons: Determine if historical imagery features exist to review transformations related to either your property or any area's characteristics over a specified length of time.
Look for Subscription Services: If you have a recurring need for up-to-date information weekly or even in higher resolution options, a subscription-like SkyFi or EOS LandViewer may work for you.
Important Considerations for Using Up-to-Date Satellite Images
Geographical Coordinates
The step of pinpointing your property could also require knowing your geographical coordinates in latitude and longitude. The coordinates will assist when searching satellite databases or punching coordinates into GIS software. Most of the mapping tools, including Google Earth, even allow you to find these coordinates by clicking on your property.
Cloud Coverage
A common hurdle you will no doubt run into for a request for a satellite image of your home is cloud coverage, as it creates an obstacle to what you are observing. When satellites use optical sensors to scan using the same type of light and sensory observations as visible light, they are often vulnerable to cloud coverage; therefore, a clear image is less feasible. In these scenarios, the solution can be found in Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), a type of radar that can penetrate clouds, acquire surface data day or night, and acquire imagery that can be used in place of clouds. For example, Sentinel-1 uses SAR.
GIS Software and Applications
Advanced users can access additional functionalities by using GIS software such as QGIS and ArcGIS. As demonstrated above, you can overlay multiple datasets, run spatial analysis, and download satellite imagery for additional analysis. By integrating these capabilities with GIS tools, you can create detailed maps that can be useful to examine the changes in land use as well as to monitor environmental conditions over time.
Getting a recent view of satellite imagery of your property is easier and more likely now than it has ever been. Using the platforms mentioned, it is possible to obtain birds-eye view properties to service general needs created by property inspections or even land use and development planning.
For more information or any questions regarding the satellite views, please don't hesitate to contact us at
Email: info@geowgs84.com
USA (HQ): (720) 702–4849
India: 98260-76466 - Pradeep Shrivastava
Canada: (519) 590 9999
Mexico: 55 5941 3755
UK & Spain: +44 12358 56710