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EnglishHow to Choose the Right Planet Product for Monitoring or Mapping
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Start by defining what you need to see, how often, and how precisely. Planet organizes its offerings into four main product paths: Planet Monitoring for high-frequency global coverage, Planet Tasking for rapid, targeted revisit, Planet Mosaics for current, analysis-ready basemaps, and Planet Analytic Feeds for turning imagery into derived insights. If your need is broad and recurring, start with Monitoring; if it is event-driven and location-specific, start with Tasking; if you need a consistent map product, start with Mosaics; if you need ready-made analytics rather than raw imagery, start with Analytic Feeds. Planet also lists Pricing as a transparent and flexible entry point, and recommends contacting Sales for guidance.
Match your monitoring need to the product type
| Need | Best-fit Planet product | What it is designed for |
|---|---|---|
| Frequent, wide-area change detection | Planet Monitoring | High-frequency, global coverage |
| Rapid response at a specific location | Planet Tasking | Rapid revisit, global intelligence |
| A current, complete, analysis-ready map | Planet Mosaics | Current, complete, analysis-ready |
| Imagery converted into insights | Planet Analytic Feeds | Transforming imagery to insights |
| Very high-resolution detail | SkySat constellation | 50 cm precision, sub-daily revisit |
| Near-daily global coverage with spectral depth | SuperDove constellation | Near-daily global coverage, eight bands deep |
| Methane emissions monitoring | Tanager / Planet Hyperspectral | Earth observation and methane emissions monitoring |
The product overview in Planet’s site navigation separates Monitoring, Tasking, Mosaics, and Analytic Feeds as distinct paths, so the first decision is whether you need recurring coverage, on-demand collection, a map product, or derived data.
Consider resolution, revisit frequency, and coverage together
These three requirements usually conflict, so decide which one is fixed and which can flex.
- Revisit frequency: If you need to detect change as it happens, prioritize near-daily or sub-daily revisit. SuperDove is described as near-daily global coverage; SkySat as sub-daily revisit.
- Resolution: If you need to identify small objects or fine features, SkySat’s 50 cm precision is the relevant option. Broader monitoring products trade resolution for frequency and coverage.
- Coverage: If your area is large or global, a monitoring or mosaics approach fits better than tasking individual scenes.
- Spectral needs: If your analysis depends on multiple bands, SuperDove’s eight bands are relevant; if it depends on methane detection, Tanager and Planet Hyperspectral are the listed options.
A practical rule: write down your minimum acceptable resolution and minimum acceptable revisit interval. If both are strict, expect to combine products rather than rely on one.
Use industry-specific monitoring options as a shortcut
Planet lists industry pages that map products to common workflows, including Agriculture, Energy & Infrastructure, Finance, Forestry & Land Use, Civil Governments, Defense & Intelligence, Maritime, Insurance, Sustainability, and Emergency Management. Specific monitoring pages include Agricultural Monitoring, Infrastructure Monitoring, Forest Management, Water Management, and AI-Powered Change Detection for Government.
If your use case fits one of these, start there rather than comparing raw products. For example, agricultural monitoring typically prioritizes frequent revisit across fields, while infrastructure monitoring may prioritize consistent coverage and change detection along corridors. The industry page narrows the product set before you evaluate resolution and frequency.
Check pricing and involve Sales before committing
Planet’s site includes a Pricing page described as offering transparent and flexible pricing options, and a Contact Sales entry point. The available material does not list specific prices, plan tiers, or whether self-service signup is available, so do not assume a free tier or instant access. The efficient sequence is:
- Define your area of interest, required resolution, and required revisit frequency.
- Identify the matching product path (Monitoring, Tasking, Mosaics, or Analytic Feeds).
- Review the relevant industry page for workflow-specific guidance.
- Visit the Pricing page and contact Sales with your requirements to confirm fit and cost.
Verify access and supporting resources
Planet provides Documentation, a Help Center, Planet Community, Planet University, and an Explorer Login, plus Professional Services and Technical Support. Before finalizing a product choice, confirm that your team can access the platform and that documentation covers your intended workflow. If you need custom capacity or a dedicated constellation, Planet lists Owl and constellation services, which are worth raising directly with Sales rather than assuming they are part of a standard plan.
The decision comes down to four questions: Is your need recurring or event-driven? How fine must the detail be? How often must you see change? And do you need imagery or derived insights? Answer those, and the product path becomes clear.