--- title: "Drones and imagery: Earth observation & | Nexus Observatory" description: "Drones and imagery, inside Earth observation & GeoAI: tasking, mission planning and revisit analysis, orbit and conjunction data…" url: https://observatory.global/earth-observation/drones-and-imagery/ publisher: Nexus Observatory Inc. updated: 2026-10-28 --- [Nexus Observatory](https://observatory.global/) / [Earth observation & GeoAI](https://observatory.global/earth-observation/) / **Drones and imagery** # Campaigns planned to the ground sample distance. Drones and imagery, inside Earth observation & GeoAI: tasking, mission planning and revisit analysis, orbit and conjunction data, ground stations and downlink, space link extension and station networking and more. Every item is traced to its specification, from OGC API - Connected Systems Part 2 (commands and tasking) to OGC Sensor Planning Service 2.0, and runs on the open Observatory Protocol. [Plan with us](https://observatory.global/contact/) Architecture [The protocol](https://observatory.global/protocol/specification/) **Technologies**: 9 **At the frontier**: 1 **Protocol functions**: 3 of 8 **Industries served**: 16 Reference design, drawn to scale · drag to turn · hover a part **01** What it is ## Tasking, ground segment and access. Every platform, sensor, processing level and ground-segment step that turns remote measurements of the Earth into calibrated, analysis-ready evidence for a site, a region or a network. Each technology below carries what it is, what we do with it, and the standard it is drawn against. Remote sensing and Earth observation ### Tasking, mission planning and revisit analysis Choosing what to acquire and when, modelling revisit, look angle and cloud risk against need. We design and operate. OGC API - Connected Systems Part 2 (commands and tasking) · OGC Sensor Planning Service 2.0 Remote sensing and Earth observation ### Orbit and conjunction data Standard orbit and conjunction messages used to predict passes and coordinate operations. We integrate. CCSDS 502.0-B (Orbit Data Messages) · CCSDS 508.0-B (Conjunction Data Message) Remote sensing and Earth observation ### Ground stations and downlink Tracking antennas and modems for S, X and Ka-band downlink in Earth exploration-satellite allocations. We design, integrate, deploy, operate, maintain and support. ITU Radio Regulations (EESS allocations, e.g. 8025-8400 MHz, 25.5-27 GHz) · ETSI EN 302 307-1 (DVB-S2) · CCSDS 131.0-B Remote sensing and Earth observation ### Space link extension and station networking Standard services that let a mission use stations operated by others. We integrate and operate. CCSDS Space Link Extension (SLE) services Remote sensing and Earth observation ### Direct broadcast and edge processing Receiving and processing satellite data on site for minutes-latency products without a round trip to a central archive. We design, integrate, deploy, operate, maintain and support. WMO Direct Broadcast Network (DBNet) · CGMS direct readout guidance **Frontier** · Remote sensing and Earth observation ### Optical ground stations Laser downlink terminals that relieve radio spectrum limits, with weather-diverse site networks. We design and integrate. CCSDS 141.0-B (optical communications physical layer) Remote sensing and Earth observation ### Ground segment security Link encryption, authentication and key management for command and telemetry. We design, integrate and operate. CCSDS 355.0-B (Space Data Link Security Protocol) · IEC 62443-3-3 Remote sensing and Earth observation ### Licensing and remote sensing law National licences and data-distribution conditions for operating remote sensing systems and stations. We design and support. Remote Sensing Space Systems Act (Canada, S.C. 2005, c. 45) · 15 CFR Part 960 (US commercial remote sensing) Remote sensing and Earth observation ### Disaster activation and rapid mapping Emergency acquisition and mapping mechanisms that deliver imagery to responders. We support. International Charter Space and Major Disasters · UN-SPIDER **02** Architecture ## Where it sits, and what it speaks. Drones and imagery draws on 2 domains and 16 layers of the spectrum; the highlighted layers carry this area. It speaks 3 of the protocol's 8 core functions. Platforms and orbits 8 Optical, spectral and thermal sensors 8 Radar, lidar and microwave sensors 10 Processing levels and analysis-ready data 9 Calibration and validation 8 Tasking, ground segment and access 9 Data cubes, analysis and archives 7 Frontier and research 8 Reference systems and geodesy 7 Vector, raster and array formats 10 Tiling, maps and visual services 7 APIs, catalogues and discrete global grids 8 Spatial analysis and siting 10 GeoAI 10 3D, BIM and digital twins 8 Metadata, quality and publication 5 01**Join** Identity, attestation quote, signed policy. 02**Admit** Admitted for a stated scope, nothing wider. 03**Describe** What, where, how and by whom, with calibration. 04**Time** One clock across the grid, with its error bound. 05**Observe** Every value with quality and provenance. 06**Qualify** Tested against the specification, state on record. 07**Federate** Signed exchange across grids and trust domains. 08**Orchestrate** Software and configuration by signed plan. **03** On the grid ## The ground, measured before it is modelled. Real elevation, line of sight, an orbit swath and a GeoAI pass, each an interactive explainer on open terrain data with its source shown. [Satellite passOne orbit, one swath, line by line.](https://observatory.global/earth/#pass) [GeoAIA detection method on real slopes, simulated outputs.](https://observatory.global/earth/#geoai) [ReliefTerrarium-encoded DEM, contours by marching squares.](https://observatory.global/earth/#elevation) [Layer stackEvery layer registered to one grid.](https://observatory.global/earth/#layers) **04** In the field ## Where this runs, sector by sector. 6 deployment scenarios from the sector research that rely on drones and imagery. [Government and public safety Deployable communications and sensing for incident commandA cell on wheels with satellite backhaul, mesh telemetry and environment nodes at the incident base.](https://observatory.global/sectors/public-safety/) [Development and humanitarian School connectivity with a school observatorySatellite or fixed wireless, school Wi-Fi, an open connectivity probe and an optional station.](https://observatory.global/sectors/humanitarian/) [Development and humanitarian Displacement-site connectivity and sensingPoint-to-multipoint wireless, satellite backhaul, solar and water-point sensors with protection safeguards.](https://observatory.global/sectors/humanitarian/) [Scientific Ocean and coastal low-cost buoy arraysSatellite-backhauled wave buoys accepted in a national programme trial.](https://observatory.global/sectors/scientific/) [Transport Highway corridor mobile coverage for safetySmall cells and satellite backhaul along unserved roads.](https://observatory.global/sectors/transport/) [Government and public safety National GBON surface and upper-air networkWMO-grade stations reporting through WIS 2.0, funded through the systematic-observations financing pathway.](https://observatory.global/sectors/public-safety/) **05** Open and enterprise ## Open by default. Enterprise by contract. The open counterpart lives on the main site for anyone to read and run. The enterprise service is designed, deployed and operated with you, under contract. Open, on the main site - Observatories atlas - World grid - Map sources with licences Enterprise, on this site - Capture campaigns - Site twins **06** The rest of the line ## Earth observation & GeoAI, area by area. [Earth observation & GeoAI Ground segmentDownlink and process at the edge.](https://observatory.global/earth-observation/ground-segment/) [Earth observation & GeoAI Site twinsThe site, measured in 3D, to scale.](https://observatory.global/earth-observation/site-twins/) [Earth observation & GeoAI GeoAIModels trained and checked against field truth.](https://observatory.global/earth-observation/geoai/) ## Bring us the site. Survey, design, deployment and operation for drones and imagery. The form names who receives your details. [Talk to us](https://observatory.global/contact/) [contact@observatory.global](mailto:contact@observatory.global?subject=Earth%20observation%20%26%20GeoAI%3A%20Drones%20and%20imagery) [Nexus Observatory](https://observatory.global/)**Earth observation & GeoAI** . The ground, measured and modelled.[Talk to us](https://observatory.global/contact/) Earth observation & GeoAI - [Ground segment](https://observatory.global/earth-observation/ground-segment/) - [Drones and imagery](https://observatory.global/earth-observation/drones-and-imagery/) - [Site twins](https://observatory.global/earth-observation/site-twins/) - [GeoAI](https://observatory.global/earth-observation/geoai/) Technologies - [Platforms and orbits](https://observatory.global/technologies/eo/platforms-and-orbits/) - [Optical, spectral and thermal sensors](https://observatory.global/technologies/eo/optical-spectral-and-thermal-sensors/) - [Reference systems and geodesy](https://observatory.global/technologies/gis/reference-systems-and-geodesy/) - [Vector, raster and array formats](https://observatory.global/technologies/gis/vector-raster-and-array-formats/) Industries - [Cities](https://observatory.global/industries/cities/) - [Civil resilience](https://observatory.global/industries/resilience/) - [Humanitarian](https://observatory.global/industries/humanitarian/) - [Climate](https://observatory.global/industries/climate/) - [Water](https://observatory.global/industries/water/) - [Nature](https://observatory.global/industries/nature/) - [Oceans](https://observatory.global/industries/oceans/) Service platforms - [Observatory Protocol](https://observatory.global/protocol/) - [Protocol & Grid](https://observatory.global/grid-services/) - [Software](https://observatory.global/software/) - [Hardware & power](https://observatory.global/hardware/) - [Sensors & instruments](https://observatory.global/sensors/) - [Connectivity](https://observatory.global/connectivity/) - [Edge compute & AI](https://observatory.global/edge-ai/) © 2026 Nexus Observatory Inc. 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