Planet Labs Implements AI Object Detection on Satellites for Faster Analysis

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 12:16:00 +0200

Planet Labs has successfully tested an AI-powered object detection system on a satellite orbiting Earth. The satellite, which was positioned about 500 kilometers above the planet's surface, captured an image of an airport and then processed the image on-board to detect airplanes in the photo. This marks a significant shift from traditional satellite operations, where raw images are transmitted to Earth for later analysis. Instead, the satellite used an NVIDIA Jetson Orin module to perform object detection immediately after capturing the image. By running AI models directly in space, the system reduces delays in analysis, enabling real-time responses for events such as disasters, infrastructure changes, or aircraft activity. This technology represents a major step in 'Planetary Intelligence,' where AI integrated into satellites can provide faster insights while reducing latency and costs for customers. The use of AI at the edge could help Planet Labs provide quicker and more actionable