TYSONS, Va. — Planet Labs, famous for taking daily pictures of Earth with their small satellites, is now using AI to turn these images into useful information. However, a top executive warned that AI isn’t a magical solution and that it takes more than just technology to solve complex problems.
AI and Expectations
Troy Toman, Planet’s senior vice president of product and software engineering, said the company has grown in how they think about AI. During an event near Washington, D.C., aimed at U.S. government customers, Toman explained that while taking daily pictures of the Earth is impressive, customers want more than just pictures. They need useful information that helps solve specific problems.
Back in 2017, Planet began investing in machine learning with the hope that it could provide answers for things like detecting ships and protecting buildings. They quickly learned that while AI has a lot of potential, it needs to be combined with deep knowledge about specific areas and problems to be truly effective. Today’s AI tools can quickly do powerful things, but for everyday needs, much more expertise is required.
Planet’s AI Platform
In April, Planet launched an “insights platform” that combines data from its satellites and other sources, using AI to analyze this data and create useful insights. For example, U.S. intelligence agencies, which have extensive experience analyzing images, only want raw data. But most other customers need AI and other technologies to help with specific tasks, such as tracking illegal ships, identifying drug dealers in the Amazon, and finding where crops can be grown in Ukraine.
Handling Massive Data
Toman oversees more than 300 software engineers and scientists. The company processes about 30 terabytes of data from its satellites every day, using around 80,000 servers. The digital age has given us more data to see more, but it also means there’s a lot more data to sift through to find what’s important. AI helps by quickly finding the data that matters, but it’s not a perfect solution.
For example, Planet works with SynMax, a company that specializes in tracking ships around the world. They use SynMax’s data and map it to their images to create accurate histories of ship movements, which can be used in court. This requires a lot of work, but without AI, it wouldn’t be possible.
Military Concerns
The U.S. military is increasingly interested in commercial satellite imagery. Maj. Gen. Gregory Gagnon of the Space Force mentioned concerns about China’s rapid deployment of satellites designed to monitor and engage adversaries. This means the U.S. needs to invest in its own sensors and commercial services quickly because China is moving fast.
Future of AI in Space
The next step for Planet’s AI is to use it directly on satellites, a concept called on-orbit computing. This would allow AI to process data in space, reducing the time needed to make critical identifications from hours to seconds. Later this year, Planet plans to launch a new high-resolution satellite with Nvidia’s Jetson edge AI platform, making them one of the first to use Nvidia’s AI chips in space.
Focus on Insights and Profitability
Planet’s focus on providing actionable insights aligns with their goal of becoming profitable. Recent financial reports show growth driven mainly by government contracts, especially in defense and intelligence.
Dave Gauthier, a former senior official at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, has watched Planet’s journey from its early days. He noted that Planet’s current push for AI analytics marks a significant shift in how they present their capabilities. Initially, Planet focused on daily Earth imagery, then on measuring Earth data, and now on delivering insights.
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