Google opens up some satellite data to good causes

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A few months ago Google bought satellite imagery company Skybox Imaging, which offers companies high quality satellite images at a price… but now it seems that the company will be participating in some corporate space-age responsibility, and offering some of its data for free.

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In a blog post for the company, Sky Box co-founder Julian Mann explained that the data will be released under creative commons licensing will help monitor stuff like climate change and the effects of land-mine clearing:

“Today, at our annual Geo for Good User Summit, we announced the Skybox for Good program, under which we will contribute fresh satellite imagery to projects that save lives, protect the environment, promote education, and positively impact humanity. We’ve captured some images of Nagarkovil village in Northern Sri Lanka. HALO Trust previously cleared landmines in this area and used updated imagery to help verify that people are returning, having built 84 houses and cultivating over 40 hectares of agricultural land.”

What would you use satellite imagery for? Let us know in the comments.

James O’Malley
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