Spatial resolution

Learn about optical and DEM resolution classes.


Overview

The spatial resolution of an optical collection or a DEM is the smallest possible pixel size that can be obtained by its sensor. The higher the spatial resolution of a given collection is, the more pixels there are per unit area, and the more detailed ground objects are.

50 cm resolution

1.50 m resolution

10 m resolution

Spatial resolution classes

ClassRange of values
Very high resolution (VHR)≤ 50 cm
High resolution (HR)From > 50 cm to ≤ 2 m
Medium resolution (MR)From > 2 m to ≤ 20 m
Low resolution (LR)> 20 m

Availability

CollectionVHRHRMRLR
Airbus Elevation

 Supported inline-icon-large*

50 cm

 Supported inline-icon-large*

1 m

 Supported inline-icon-large*

4 m

Not supported inline-icon-large
AxelGlobeNot supported inline-icon-largeNot supported inline-icon-large

Supported inline-icon-large

2.50 m, 5 m

Not supported inline-icon-large
Beijing-3A

Supported inline-icon-large

50 cm

Supported inline-icon-large

2 m

Not supported inline-icon-largeNot supported inline-icon-large
Beijing-3N

Supported inline-icon-large

30 cm

Supported inline-icon-large

1.20 m

Not supported inline-icon-largeNot supported inline-icon-large
BlackSkyNot supported inline-icon-large

Supported inline-icon-large

From 83 cm to 1.30 m

Not supported inline-icon-largeNot supported inline-icon-large
Dragonette-1Not supported inline-icon-largeNot supported inline-icon-large

Supported inline-icon-large

5.30 m

Not supported inline-icon-large
EROS-B

Supported inline-icon-large

50 cm

Not supported inline-icon-largeNot supported inline-icon-largeNot supported inline-icon-large
EROS-C

Supported inline-icon-large

30 cm

Not supported inline-icon-largeNot supported inline-icon-largeNot supported inline-icon-large
GEOSAT 1Not supported inline-icon-largeNot supported inline-icon-large

Supported inline-icon-large

20 m

Not supported inline-icon-large
GEOSAT 2

Supported inline-icon-large

40 cm, 75 cm

Not supported inline-icon-largeNot supported inline-icon-largeNot supported inline-icon-large
GHGSatNot supported inline-icon-largeNot supported inline-icon-largeNot supported inline-icon-large

 Supported inline-icon-large*

25 m

Globhe Optical

 Supported inline-icon-large*

From 1 cm to 5 cm

Not supported inline-icon-largeNot supported inline-icon-largeNot supported inline-icon-large
Globhe Elevation

 Supported inline-icon-large*

From 1 cm to 10 cm

Not supported inline-icon-largeNot supported inline-icon-largeNot supported inline-icon-large
GÖKTÜRK-1

Supported inline-icon-large

50 cm

Supported inline-icon-large

2 m

Not supported inline-icon-largeNot supported inline-icon-large
KOMPSAT-3

Supported inline-icon-large

50 cm

Supported inline-icon-large

2 m

Not supported inline-icon-largeNot supported inline-icon-large
KOMPSAT-3A

Supported inline-icon-large

40 cm

Supported inline-icon-large

1.60 m

Not supported inline-icon-largeNot supported inline-icon-large
Maxar

Supported inline-icon-large

30 cm, 50 cm

Supported inline-icon-large

1.2 m, 2 m

Not supported inline-icon-largeNot supported inline-icon-large
Near Space Labs

Supported inline-icon-large

10 cm, 30 cm

Not supported inline-icon-largeNot supported inline-icon-largeNot supported inline-icon-large
Pléiades

Supported inline-icon-large

50 cm

Supported inline-icon-large

2 m

Not supported inline-icon-largeNot supported inline-icon-large
Pléiades Neo

Supported inline-icon-large

30 cm

Supported inline-icon-large

1.20 m

Not supported inline-icon-largeNot supported inline-icon-large
SatellogicNot supported inline-icon-large

Supported inline-icon-large

70 cm, 1 m

Not supported inline-icon-largeNot supported inline-icon-large
SkySat

Supported inline-icon-large

50 cm

Not supported inline-icon-largeNot supported inline-icon-largeNot supported inline-icon-large
SPOT

Supported inline-icon-large

1.50 m

Supported inline-icon-large

6 m

Not supported inline-icon-largeNot supported inline-icon-large
Vision-1Not supported inline-icon-large

Supported inline-icon-large

83 cm

Supported inline-icon-large

3.48 m

Not supported inline-icon-large
CollectionVHRHRMRLR
Beijing-3A

Supported inline-icon-large

50 cm

Supported inline-icon-large

2 m

Not supported inline-icon-largeNot supported inline-icon-large
Beijing-3N

Supported inline-icon-large

30 cm

Supported inline-icon-large

1.20 m

Not supported inline-icon-largeNot supported inline-icon-large
BlackSkyNot supported inline-icon-large

Supported inline-icon-large

From 83 cm to 1.30 m

Not supported inline-icon-largeNot supported inline-icon-large
Bluesky Aerial

 Supported inline-icon-large*

10 cm, 12.5 cm,

25 cm, 50 cm

 Supported inline-icon-large*

1 m, 2 m

Not supported inline-icon-largeNot supported inline-icon-large
Bluesky Elevation

 Supported inline-icon-large*

25 cm

 Supported inline-icon-large*

2 m

 Supported inline-icon-large*

5 m

Not supported inline-icon-large
Getmapping Aerial

 Supported inline-icon-large*

5 cm, 12.5 cm, 25 cm

Not supported inline-icon-largeNot supported inline-icon-largeNot supported inline-icon-large
GHGSatNot supported inline-icon-largeNot supported inline-icon-largeNot supported inline-icon-large

 Supported inline-icon-large*

25 m

Globhe Optical

 Supported inline-icon-large*

From 1 cm to 5 cm

Not supported inline-icon-largeNot supported inline-icon-largeNot supported inline-icon-large
Globhe Elevation

 Supported inline-icon-large*

From 1 cm to 10 cm

Not supported inline-icon-largeNot supported inline-icon-largeNot supported inline-icon-large
Hexagon Aerial

Supported inline-icon-large

15 cm, 30 cm

Not supported inline-icon-largeNot supported inline-icon-largeNot supported inline-icon-large
Hexagon Elevation DSM

Supported inline-icon-large

30 cm

Supported inline-icon-large

60 cm

Not supported inline-icon-largeNot supported inline-icon-large
HotSat-1Not supported inline-icon-largeNot supported inline-icon-large

 Supported inline-icon-large*

3.50 m

Not supported inline-icon-large
Landsat 8Not supported inline-icon-largeNot supported inline-icon-largeNot supported inline-icon-large

Supported inline-icon-large

30 m, 100 m

Maxar

Supported inline-icon-large

15 cm, 30 cm, 50 cm

Supported inline-icon-large

1.20 m, 2 m

Not supported inline-icon-largeNot supported inline-icon-large
NEXTMapNot supported inline-icon-large

Supported inline-icon-large

1 m

Supported inline-icon-large

6 m, 10 m

Not supported inline-icon-large
PlanetDEMNot supported inline-icon-largeNot supported inline-icon-largeNot supported inline-icon-large

 Supported inline-icon-large*

30 m

Pléiades

Supported inline-icon-large

50 cm

Supported inline-icon-large

2 m

Not supported inline-icon-largeNot supported inline-icon-large
Pléiades Neo

Supported inline-icon-large

15 cm, 30 cm

Supported inline-icon-large

60 cm, 1.20 m

Not supported inline-icon-largeNot supported inline-icon-large
Sentinel-2Not supported inline-icon-largeNot supported inline-icon-large

Supported inline-icon-large

10 m, 20 m

Supported inline-icon-large

60 m

SkySat

Supported inline-icon-large

50 cm

Not supported inline-icon-largeNot supported inline-icon-largeNot supported inline-icon-large
SPOT

Supported inline-icon-large

1.50 m

Supported inline-icon-large

6 m

Not supported inline-icon-largeNot supported inline-icon-large
TripleSatNot supported inline-icon-large

Supported inline-icon-large

80 cm

Supported inline-icon-large

3.20 m

Not supported inline-icon-large
Vexcel Aerial

Supported inline-icon-large

5.5–7.5 cm,

15–20 cm

Not supported inline-icon-largeNot supported inline-icon-largeNot supported inline-icon-large
Vexcel Elevate

Supported inline-icon-large

5.5–7.5 cm,

15–20 cm

Not supported inline-icon-largeNot supported inline-icon-largeNot supported inline-icon-large
WorldDEM NeoNot supported inline-icon-largeNot supported inline-icon-large

Supported inline-icon-large

5 m

Not supported inline-icon-large
WorldDEM4OrthoNot supported inline-icon-largeNot supported inline-icon-largeNot supported inline-icon-large

Supported inline-icon-large

24 m

*Upon request.

Ground sampling distance vs. spatial resolution

The spatial resolution is defined by the sensor specifications without considering the location of the object being imaged. The ground sampling distance (GSD) is the effective resolution with different constraints taken into consideration:

  • Geometric constraints, that is, the geometry of the object being imaged.
  • Mechanical constraints of the vehicle carrying the sensor — for example, its speed and altitude.

For geospatial images, the most important factors are vehicle speed, the curvature of the Earth, and the viewing angle.

As a result, the GSD only matches the spatial resolution at latitudes around the equator and at a 0° off-nadir angle. For any other latitudes and viewing angles, the GSD will be greater than the spatial resolution. For example, there might be a 2.60 m GSD for a collection with a 1.50 m spatial resolution.

You can check the GSD of your asset as follows:

  1. Open the console and go to Data management inline-icon Data managementMap.
  2. In the search bar, click Filters inline-icon. Go to Asset type and select STAC items. Adjust filters and geographic locations. Click Search.
  3. Check the ground sampling distance in the GSD column of the table.

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