Defense & Intelligence

Surveillance

A robust surveillance program requires broad area coverage and timeliness. DigitalGlobe addresses both of these, collecting a target anywhere on the globe every 3 to 4 days.

Reconnaissance

The information content provided by our very high-resolution imagery provides a capability to conduct detailed reconnaissance and subsequent extraction of critical information on targets (e.g., force capabilities, vulnerability assessments and facility characterization).

Ground Forces

Imagery permits generic identification of most armor and support vehicles (e.g., differentiating between tanks, armored personnel carriers and self propelled artillery), and specific identification for some vehicles through measuring length, width and barrel lengths. Field deployments are readily detectable using the panchromatic and multispectral imagery, as well as natural color (pansharpened) imagery where revetments and trenching are easily identifiable.

Naval Forces

You can identify all major naval vessels (combatants and support vessels) by specific class using the panchromatic data. This includes recognizing major offensive and defensive weapons systems, ship superstructures, antennas and even mooring lines. Ship repair activities and dockside activities are readily seen, allowing analysts to determine repair cycles and preparations for mobilizing.

Air Forces

Classification of military aircraft is possible, enabling analysts to tell the difference between similar aircraft (excluding variants). Additionally, our imagery shows you all airfield components, including runway/taxiway/parking apron layout, hardened aircraft shelters, runway markings, support infrastructure, ILS components and munitions storage areas. It also is useful for detecting changes in force mobilization or to the airfield components (runway expansion, digging of underground facilities, etc.).

Air Defenses

Use imagery to locate mobile and fixed surface to air missiles (it is possible to determine if a launcher is loaded). Also identify anti aircraft artillery (AAA) formations.

Military Facilities

When conducting facility analysis, both the panchromatic and multispectral imagery reveal facility subcomponents by specific function. Our imagery supports monitoring force deployments, conducting order of battle assessments and detecting change in facilities over time (multispectral imagery also plays an integral role in accomplishing change detection).

Weapons Storage

DigitalGlobe imagery provides critical information about weapons storage facilities. From our imagery, you can understand bunker construction techniques, see the different types of storage for different types of ordnance, identify transshipment facilities and methods and measure bunkers and structures accurately.

Bomb Damage

Detailed bomb damage assessment (BDA), which encompasses timely and accurate estimates of damage resulting from operational military strikes, are often performed using DigitalGlobe imagery. In many cases, you can fully assess the details of the physical and functional damage to a facility, particularly with before and after imagery.

Weapons Development and Testing

Our imagery is crucial to monitoring weapons development efforts because it reveals weapons delivery platforms, engine testing, firing ranges and ballistic test facilities.

Mapping

Most security organizations depend heavily on up to date maps to support operational and training requirements. Our satellites were specifically designed for collection to support mapping programs and provide data that is both spatially and spectrally accurate. Use our data to produce traditional hard copy mapping products from 1:50,000 up to 1:10,000 scales, large scale maps suitable for supporting defense operations and very detailed site diagrams.

3D modeling

AEgis Technologies Group – provider of expert modeling and simulation services – and DigitalGlobe – a leading provider of high-resolution commercial imagery—have partnered to provide an exclusive real-time 3D image product that can be rapidly created from any of our high-resolution satellite images. ImageScape is a merger of high-resolution satellite imagery and Digital Elevation Models (DEM) to provide the user a rich real-time 3D viewing capability. Unlike traditional 3D terrain models, expensive software is not required for viewing this product; instead a free robust 3D viewer is provided that allows the user to interact with the data in real-time. The viewer provides the ability to add Geomarkers, perform measurements, and add addition GIS data as needed.

The combination of state-of-the-art models, tools and services from AEgis and high-resolution imagery from DigitalGlobe results in powerful 3D simulation capabilities. A number of factors contributed to this incredible achievement, including the fact that DigitalGlobe is operating a constellation of sub-meter commercial imaging satellites. Together, AEgis and DigitalGlobe have created ImageScape, which combines 3D wireframe terrain topologies with DigitalGlobe's high-resolution imagery to render 3D representations of any area in the world as requested by our customers.

The end result of using the advanced computational methods and rendering algorithms developed by AEgis and the satellite imagery supplied by DigitalGlobe is the ability to create 3D virtual models of any required location in the world – using the highest-resolution commercial data available – more than four times faster and at a fraction of the cost of anyone else in the industry! The data that is created during this process can be output in a variety of formats. Databases are also extensible for future updates and additions. It is due to this speed that AEgis and DigitalGlobe can imagine, design, create, and deliver at a world-class pace.

Strategic industries

DigitalGlobe imagery supports identification of key strategic industries such as energy, extraction and manufacturing facilities. With it, you can analyze each of these facilities in great detail, identifying what is being produced and the capacity for production and inventory at the facility. For example, individual power lines are visible, transformers can be counted and pipelines measured – all this data supports your assessments of the power plant’s potential capacity. Moreover, our multispectral imagery provides critical information on various types of raw material used in a manufacturing process, as well as potential environmental impacts.