---
title: "Technologies: Earth observation & GeoAI | Nexus Observatory"
description: "Technologies of the Earth observation & GeoAI platform, layer by layer: Remote sensing and Earth observation, GIS and maps and GeoAI."
url: https://observatory.global/earth-observation/technologies/
publisher: Nexus Observatory Inc.
updated: 2026-11-02
---

[Nexus Observatory](https://observatory.global/)

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[Earth observation & GeoAI](https://observatory.global/earth-observation/)

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**Technologies** 

# The technologies behind earth observation & GeoAI.

Every technology this platform builds with, layer by layer, from the open taxonomy. Marked in red: what is moving now, each traced to its source.

[Plan with us](https://observatory.global/earth-observation/contact/deployment/)

[Architecture](https://observatory.global/earth-observation/architecture/)

Areas · **4** Technologies · **132** Industries · **16** 

**01** The layered map

## Layer by layer, from the open taxonomy.

Each domain this platform draws on, with its layers and the technologies in each. Open a layer for what each technology does and the standard behind it.

### Remote sensing and Earth observation

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.

[The full directory →](https://observatory.global/technologies/eo/)

### [Platforms and orbits](https://observatory.global/technologies/eo/platforms-and-orbits/)

Technologies · 8 · Frontier · 1

- Geostationary imagers and sounders
- Low Earth orbit sun-synchronous missions
- Small satellite constellations
- High-altitude platform stations (HAPS)
- Crewed survey aircraft
- Drones and remotely piloted aircraft
- Tethered aerostats and balloon soundings
- Ground-based remote sensing

### [Optical, spectral and thermal sensors](https://observatory.global/technologies/eo/optical-spectral-and-thermal-sensors/)

Technologies · 8 · Frontier · 1

- Panchromatic and very high resolution optical
- Multispectral imagers
- Hyperspectral imaging spectrometers
- Thermal infrared imagers
- Stereo, tri-stereo and video capture
- Ocean colour and aquatic reflectance
- Low-light and night-time imaging
- Solar-induced fluorescence

### [Radar, lidar and microwave sensors](https://observatory.global/technologies/eo/radar-lidar-and-microwave-sensors/)

Technologies · 10 · Frontier · 1

- Synthetic aperture radar by band (P, L, S, C, X, Ku, Ka)
- Interferometric SAR (InSAR)
- Polarimetric SAR (PolSAR)
- Ocean radar backscatter and scatterometry
- Radar altimetry
- Lidar (airborne, drone and spaceborne)
- Passive microwave radiometry
- GNSS radio occultation
- GNSS reflectometry
- Atmospheric sounders and composition instruments

### [Processing levels and analysis-ready data](https://observatory.global/technologies/eo/processing-levels-and-analysis-ready-data/)

Technologies · 9

- Level 0: raw instrument data
- Level 1: calibrated and geolocated
- Level 2: geophysical variables
- Levels 3 and 4: gridded, composited and modelled
- CEOS analysis-ready data
- Atmospheric, terrain and radiometric terrain correction
- Cloud, shadow and quality masking
- Onboard and ground compression
- Product metadata and lineage

### [Calibration and validation](https://observatory.global/technologies/eo/calibration-and-validation/)

Technologies · 8

- Pre-flight and onboard calibration
- Vicarious calibration and test sites
- Inter-calibration of satellite instruments
- Fiducial reference measurements
- SAR calibration targets
- Geometric accuracy and ground control
- Product validation stages
- In situ match-up networks

### [Tasking, ground segment and access](https://observatory.global/technologies/eo/tasking-ground-segment-and-access/)

Technologies · 9 · Frontier · 1

- Tasking, mission planning and revisit analysis
- Orbit and conjunction data
- Ground stations and downlink
- Space link extension and station networking
- Direct broadcast and edge processing
- Optical ground stations
- Ground segment security
- Licensing and remote sensing law
- Disaster activation and rapid mapping

### [Data cubes, analysis and archives](https://observatory.global/technologies/eo/data-cubes-analysis-and-archives/)

Technologies · 7

- EO data cubes
- Imagery catalogues
- Time-series analysis
- Essential climate, ocean and biodiversity variables
- Fusion with in situ data and models
- Long-term archive and preservation
- Commercial and open data licensing

### [Frontier and research](https://observatory.global/technologies/eo/frontier-and-research/)

Technologies · 8 · Frontier · 8

- Onboard AI and in-orbit processing
- Optical inter-satellite links and data relay
- High-revisit SAR and high-resolution thermal constellations
- Imaging spectroscopy constellations
- Greenhouse gas point-source detection
- EO foundation models and embeddings
- Quantum and cold-atom gravimetry
- Digital twins of the Earth

### GIS, maps and GeoAI

The reference frames, formats, services, analysis methods, machine learning and 3D models that turn observations into located, queryable and decision-ready geographic information.

[The full directory →](https://observatory.global/technologies/gis/)

### [Reference systems and geodesy](https://observatory.global/technologies/gis/reference-systems-and-geodesy/)

Technologies · 7

- Terrestrial reference frames
- National and regional datums
- Coordinate reference systems and operations
- Dynamic datums and time-dependent coordinates
- Geoid models and vertical datums
- Precise GNSS positioning (RTK, PPP, PPP-RTK)
- Pose and orientation

### [Vector, raster and array formats](https://observatory.global/technologies/gis/vector-raster-and-array-formats/)

Technologies · 10

- Simple features and geometry models
- GeoJSON
- GeoPackage
- GeoParquet
- Cloud Optimized GeoTIFF (COG)
- Zarr and multidimensional arrays
- netCDF and HDF5
- Coverages
- Point clouds
- Geography Markup Language

### [Tiling, maps and visual services](https://observatory.global/technologies/gis/tiling-maps-and-visual-services/)

Technologies · 7

- Tile matrix sets
- Vector tiles
- PMTiles single-file archives
- Raster map tiles and legacy map services
- Map rendering APIs
- Styles and symbology
- Offline and low-bandwidth maps

### [APIs, catalogues and discrete global grids](https://observatory.global/technologies/gis/apis-catalogues-and-discrete-global-grids/)

Technologies · 8

- OGC API - Features
- OGC API - Processes
- OGC API - Environmental Data Retrieval (EDR)
- OGC API - Records and Coverages
- SpatioTemporal Asset Catalog (STAC)
- Discrete global grid systems (DGGS)
- H3 hexagonal index
- Feature catalogues and data dictionaries

### [Spatial analysis and siting](https://observatory.global/technologies/gis/spatial-analysis-and-siting/)

Technologies · 10

- Terrain analysis
- Hydrological modelling
- Flood inundation and hazard mapping
- Viewshed and line of sight
- RF propagation and coverage prediction
- Network analysis
- Spatial statistics and interpolation
- Multi-criteria siting (MCDA)
- Geocoding and addressing
- Moving features and trajectories

### [GeoAI](https://observatory.global/technologies/gis/geoai/)

Technologies · 10 · Frontier · 3

- Semantic segmentation and land cover
- Change detection
- Object detection and counting
- Training data and labels
- Model metadata and model cards
- Accuracy assessment
- Edge inference on imagery
- Geospatial foundation models
- Super-resolution and multi-sensor fusion
- Geospatial agents and natural-language queries

### [3D, BIM and digital twins](https://observatory.global/technologies/gis/3d-bim-and-digital-twins/)

Technologies · 8 · Frontier · 2

- City and site models
- 3D Tiles and scene layers
- BIM and asset information
- Photogrammetry and reality capture
- Indoor and underground models
- Digital twin frameworks
- Sensor-fused live twins
- Geospatial augmented reality

### [Metadata, quality and publication](https://observatory.global/technologies/gis/metadata-quality-and-publication/)

Technologies · 5

- Geographic metadata
- Data quality
- Map accessibility
- Licensing of map sources
- Spatial data infrastructures

**02** Across the network

## The whole spectrum, on the main site.

[Main site Every technology domainAll domains, layers and items, with their sources.Open →](https://observatory.global/technologies/)

[Main site The spectrumThe technologies of observation on one map.Open →](https://observatory.global/spectrum/)

[Observatory Protocol StandardsThe open standards the protocol is composed from.Open →](https://observatory.global/protocol/standards/)

**03** On this site

## Where to go next.

[Earth observation & GeoAI AreasEvery area, with its systems and standards.Open →](https://observatory.global/earth-observation/areas/)

[Earth observation & GeoAI ArchitectureLayers, functions and evidence.Open →](https://observatory.global/earth-observation/architecture/)

[Earth observation & GeoAI IndustriesThe industry sites built on this platform.Open →](https://observatory.global/earth-observation/industries/)

[Earth observation & GeoAI ResourcesExplainer, stories, specification and forms.Open →](https://observatory.global/earth-observation/resources/)

## Bring us the site.

We bring the survey, the design and the crew. The form names who receives your details.

[Plan a deployment](https://observatory.global/earth-observation/contact/deployment/)

[Contact](https://observatory.global/earth-observation/contact/)

[Nexus Observatory](https://observatory.global/)**Earth observation & GeoAI** . The ground, measured and modelled.[Talk to us](https://observatory.global/contact/)

Earth observation & GeoAI

- [Overview](https://observatory.global/earth-observation/)
- [Explainer](https://observatory.global/earth-observation/explainer/)
- [Areas](https://observatory.global/earth-observation/areas/)
- [Technologies](https://observatory.global/earth-observation/technologies/)
- [Architecture](https://observatory.global/earth-observation/architecture/)
- [Industries](https://observatory.global/earth-observation/industries/)
- [Resources](https://observatory.global/earth-observation/resources/)
- [Contact](https://observatory.global/earth-observation/contact/)

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/)
- [Earth observation & GeoAI](https://observatory.global/earth-observation/)
- [Space and satellite systems](https://observatory.global/space/)
- [Digital twins and simulation](https://observatory.global/digital-twins/)
- [Data & licensing](https://observatory.global/data-products/)
- [Field services](https://observatory.global/field-services/)
- [Frontier labs](https://observatory.global/labs/)

Solutions

- [Early warning](https://observatory.global/use-cases/street-flood/)
- [Wildfire and fire weather](https://observatory.global/use-cases/wildfire-camera/)
- [Environmental compliance](https://observatory.global/use-cases/methane-fenceline/)
- [Asset monitoring](https://observatory.global/industries/infrastructure/)
- [Private networks](https://observatory.global/connectivity/private-5g/)
- [Remote power and sites](https://observatory.global/use-cases/remote-microgrid/)
- [Climate and resilience](https://observatory.global/industries/climate/)
- [Site twins](https://observatory.global/digital-twins/)
- [Data licensing](https://observatory.global/data-products/)

Industries

- [Public safety](https://observatory.global/industries/public-safety/)
- [Government](https://observatory.global/industries/government/)
- [Cities](https://observatory.global/industries/cities/)
- [Civil resilience](https://observatory.global/industries/resilience/)
- [Communities](https://observatory.global/industries/communities/)
- [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/)
- [Agriculture](https://observatory.global/industries/agriculture/)
- [Energy](https://observatory.global/industries/energy/)
- [Telecom](https://observatory.global/industries/telecom/)
- [Transport](https://observatory.global/industries/transport/)
- [Infrastructure](https://observatory.global/industries/infrastructure/)
- [Mining](https://observatory.global/industries/mining/)
- [Industry](https://observatory.global/industries/industry/)
- [Research](https://observatory.global/industries/research/)
- [Education](https://observatory.global/industries/education/)
- [Health](https://observatory.global/industries/health/)
- [Insurance and finance](https://observatory.global/industries/insurance/)
- [Events](https://observatory.global/industries/events/)

Products

- [Field Deployment Studio](https://observatory.global/studio/)
- [Station Builder](https://observatory.global/studio/builder/)
- [Field services](https://observatory.global/field-services/)
- [Data products](https://observatory.global/data-products/)
- [APIs and SDKs](https://observatory.global/protocol/developers/)
- [Edge runtime and fleet](https://observatory.global/software/)
- [Hardware catalogue](https://observatory.global/hardware/)
- [Reference designs](https://observatory.global/protocol/reference-designs/)

Resources

- [Learn](https://observatory.global/learn/)
- [Stories](https://observatory.global/stories/)
- [Environments](https://observatory.global/environments/)
- [Network scenes](https://observatory.global/environments/networks/)
- [Observatories atlas](https://observatory.global/observatories/)
- [Earth and maps](https://observatory.global/earth/)
- [Technologies](https://observatory.global/technologies/)
- [Countries](https://observatory.global/countries/)
- [Spectrum](https://observatory.global/spectrum/)
- [Specification](https://observatory.global/protocol/specification/)
- [Conformance](https://observatory.global/protocol/conformance/)
- [Open source](https://observatory.global/open/)
- [Data credits](https://observatory.global/credits/)

Company

- [About](https://observatory.global/about/)
- [Open governance](https://observatory.global/consortium/)
- [Security and trust](https://observatory.global/security/)
- [Contact sales](https://observatory.global/contact/)
- [Privacy requests](https://observatory.global/privacy-request/)

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