Photo: Shutterstock, Via Satellite archive

The U.S. Navy awarded Planet a $7.5 million contract renewal for vessel detection and monitoring over the Pacific. The project integrates Planet’s satellite imagery into SeaVision, a maritime situational awareness tool by the U.S. Department of Transportation. 

Planet’s government subsidiary, Planet Labs Federal, announced the contract renewal on Tuesday. The initial award was in March of 2024. SeaVision is an unclassified web-based platform used by the U.S. and partner nations. It pulls together many different types of data and is used to improve maritime operations and increase maritime security. SeaVision is cited as having 4,400 active users from 120 partner nations

Both Planet’s daily PlanetScope data and high-resolution SkySat data are integrated into SeaVision. PlanetScope data is used for broad area management and near real-time vessel monitoring, while the higher resolution SkySat data is used for additional intelligence on specific events. The contract also integrates AI technology from Planet partner SynMax, which is used to detect dark vessels and illegal activities. 

“The Indo-Pacific is one of the busiest and most strategically important regions in the world; a hub of global trade with vast waters and dense vessel activity,” said Jon Powers, Planet Federal’s vice president of Global Defense and Intelligence. “Understanding the maritime environment remains as critical as ever, and demands persistent, broad area coverage. Planet is proud to continue delivering this unique capability, supporting the U.S. Navy and regional partners with imagery-based insights to foster stability and prosperity across the region.”