Company FAQs

DigitalGlobe adheres to U.S policies, in addition to established company policies, to manage the distribution of sensitive imagery. Since DigitalGlobe is a commercial company with an “open skies" policy of doing business the company makes imagery available to markets that have practical applications. However, DigitalGlobe complies with all U.S. Government regulations or shutter control orders, and restricts access to imagery as required.

DigitalGlobe takes the threat of terrorism seriously and has policies to avoid the release of sensitive material. DigitalGlobe checks all new potential customers against a “Denied Parties List” supplied daily by the U.S. Government before selling imagery. DigitalGlobe also restricts distribution of imagery where national security is at risk or where U.S. assets overseas may be placed at risk.

DigitalGlobe’s belief that its satellite data does not open the door to terrorism is consistent with a study published by the Rand Corp. in 2004, which states that fewer than 1% of publicly available federal web sites and databases contain geospatial information not readily available elsewhere that could help terrorists and other hostile forces mount attacks in the U.S.

Yes. In 1996, the Congress passed the Kyl-Bingaman Amendment to the Defense Appropriations Act. That law says that the U.S. Government may not license an American remote sensing company to collect or disseminate imagery of Israel at a better resolution than what is generally available from remote sensing companies in other countries. As a result of this law, the government determined that two-meter resolution imagery of Israel was currently available from non-U.S. satellite sources.