Redefining Earth observation with a stratospheric mix of image quality and persistence

Earth observation images on this page are OPAZ Images - © Airbus DS 2018 - view from Airbus Zephyr.

Zephyr enables game-changing capabilities for Earth observation, combining high resolution with high persistence.

Airbus' OPAZ payload. the default payload of choice for Zephyr EO capability, is specifically designed to operate in the stratosphere. Equipped with OPAZ, Zephyr offers up to 18cm electro-optical, and up to 70cm infra-red imagery, and is capable of near-real-time, high-quality video. The agile video-targeting includes three true-colour, simultaneous modes:

  • A wide field 10m GSD over an area of 1,300 sq. km
  • Intermediate 2m GSD over an area of 70 sq. km
  • The game-changing 18cm GSD over an area of 1.5 sq. km

Together, with advanced processing capabilities via Airbus Intelligence, Zephyr’s EO capabilities are best-in-class.

OPAZ is developed by the Barcelona-based Airbus GeoTech, Airbus' subsidiary focusing on developing stratospheric Earth observation capabilities, offering the Strat-Observer service → https://intelligence.airbus.com/imagery/our-optical-and-radar-satellite-imagery/strat-observer/

EARTH OBSERVATION

Satellite-based solutions offer either high resolution or high revisit rates. With Zephyr, there’s no need to compromise. Customers get both the high resolution, the ability to receive real time video, and the ability to do that for months at a time, rather than for minutes.

Drone-based solutions can provide both high resolution and persistence, except that their coverage is limited, their cost is prohibitive, and their persistence can only last while they have the necessary fuel on board, which by itself consumes and emits materials that are toxic for the planet. Zephyr on the other hand is economically superior, provides wider coverage, for very long durations, and runs only on the power of the sun.

With such persistence and high-resolution imaging capability, Zephyr can serve a multitude of applications such as forest fire management, precision agriculture, insurance management, and other applications that benefit from Zephyr’s high-resolution capabilities without compromising on persistence.