Pelican
Planet's high-resolution imaging satellites, able to see objects about half a meter across, with onboard AI chips to speed up answers. A sharper second generation is due to start launching in 2026.
Why it matters
Planet built its business on frequent but coarser pictures of the whole planet. Pelican lets it sell the sharp, on-demand images that militaries and governments pay most for, putting it in direct competition with Maxar and BlackSky.
How the technology works
First-generation Pelicans capture 50 cm class imagery in six multispectral bands and can be pointed at specific targets on request. Each recent unit carries an NVIDIA Jetson computer so some analysis can run in orbit, cutting the delay before customers get results.
Planet says Gen 2 Pelicans are designed for up to 30 cm class resolution.