DigitalGlobe (NYSE: DGI) has obtained permission from the U.S. Commerce Department to start offering customers high-resolution photos generated by the company’s earth imagery satellite constellation.
The federal authorization will enable DigitalGlobe to sell up to 0.25-meter panchromatic resolution images as well as multi-spectral images at a 1-meter ground sample distance through a new WorldView commercial satellite, DigitalGlobe said Wednesday.
WorldView-3 is scheduled to lift off from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California by Aug. 14.
Jeffrey Tarr, DigitalGlobe CEO, said the government’s decision to ease satellite imagery restrictions could “fuel innovation, create new high-tech jobs, and advance the nation’s commanding lead in this strategically important industry.”
“Our customers will immediately realize the benefits of this updated regulation, as for the first time, we will be able to make our very best imagery available to the commercial market, ” Tarr added.
DigitalGlobe’s existing GeoEye-1 and WorldView-2 satellites are built to collect imagery with resolution as high as .50 meters, according to the company.
