UK Satellite Imagery Services Market

UK Satellite Imagery Services Market Analysis

The UK Satellite Imagery Services Market is expected to register a CAGR of 14.06% during the forecast period.

• The country's priority in developing smart cities is creating an opportunity for the market and driving it during the forecast period because, with the help of satellite imagery, city administrations can access detailed information about their infrastructure, population, and environment and can plan for the future. Additionally, in November 2022, The Smart Cities Council, which brings the government, industries, and social sector together to create an impact on the key challenges and opportunities facing cities, started its operation in the United Kingdom.
• Artificial intelligence in innovative city development is becoming increasingly important in the country, as cities become more efficient and sustainable. In addition, the adoption of big data analytics is emerging in all the country's sectors. Through AI, users can analyze large amounts of data, including satellite imagery, to identify trends and patterns to help inform innovative city development, accelerating the demand for satellite imagery services in the country.
• Satellite imagery services have been utilized in the policy-making by the country's government to address the future need, which would drive the market in the forecast period. For instance, in August 2022, satellite pictures from Copernicus, the EU's earth observation program, showed the east of England and Scotland had turned brown. Aerial images of a yellowing UK could be the reason for the high growth in temperatures and low rainfall in the areas, which has enabled the country's government to be prepared for the drought condition of the country.
• However, satellite imagery services are expensive, and data acquisition & processing can be a constraint for some users due to its high cost, which could restrict the market adoption in the country. Additionally, satellite imagery may not detect small-scale environmental changes due to its lesser resolution than other imagery techniques.
• The country's adoption of satellite imagery services has increased during and after the covid-19 pandemic due to its applications in managing the crowd in the country. For instance, the United Kingdom Research and Innovation (UKRI) of the country's government has stated that UK start-up Lanterne developed an app to enable people to observe social distancing rules more effectively by using satellite technologies, driving the demand for the satellite imagery service market in the country.

UK Satellite Imagery Services Market Trends

Rising Smart City Initiatives in the Country Significantly Drives the Market

• Satellite Imagery services enable cities in the United Kingdom to understand their urban environment better, and by analyzing the imagery, cities can identify areas that need improvement, such as areas with high levels of air pollution, transportation development, and grid network improvement for efficiency, creating an opportunity for the market vendors in the United Kingdom.
• In addition, satellite imagery can then be used to create plans for improving the city's smart grid infrastructure and services, creating a demand for the market in the United Kingdom. For instance, in December 2022, National Grid, a public company for electricity distribution in the country, planned to use satellite imagery to boost the resilience of the country's grid network and has projected to save EUR 22 Million (approximately USD 24 million) in 10 years.
• Satellite imagery services raise the security and surveillance standard in the country's smart city, and by leveraging high-resolution images from space, cities can detect environmental changes and respond quickly to potential threats, which includes monitoring traffic, spotting fires, and identifying suspicious activity. Additionally, satellite imagery can track the movement of people and vehicles, allowing for better security planning and response and driving the adoption of the market in the emergence of smart cities in the country.
• Satellite imagery can be used to monitor air quality and pollution levels in the cities of the country, and this data can be used to identify areas where air quality is poor and to develop strategies to improve it, which would create an opportunity for the market during the forecast period.
• For instance, in June 2023, Satellite Applications Catapult and Greenhouse Gas Satellite (GHGSat) partnered to open an international analytics center co-located in London and Edinburgh to provide satellite imagery data on methane emissions for research and development purposes and stakeholders of the urban planning sector of the country could use it in the United Kingdom.

The Applications in Geospatial Data Acquisition and Mapping Contributes a Major Share of the Market

• The country has developed a geospatial strategy to improve access, promote and safeguard the use of location data, which could enhance users' capabilities, skills, and awareness in various sectors, including carbon emission management, transportation management, forestry monitoring, etc., creating an opportunity for satellite imagery service providers in the country due to the application of satellite imagery services in geospatial data acquisitions.
• In addition, the country has been partnering with global satellite imagery service providers to support its geospatial strategy, enabling it to have a coherent national location data framework by 2025, which would drive the market during the forecast period.
• For instance, in September 2022, the UK Geospatial Commission collaborated with the global satellite imagery service provider Airbus to extend the contract until March 2024 to provide stable, secure services to manage aerial photography and terrain datasets of Great Britain to provide free access across UK public sector organizations. Additionally, the service has been designed to increase the performance and efficiency of the users, such as processing imagery requests within 0.5 seconds.
• The need for satellite imagery data for mapping is creating a demand for the market in the country, and map providers in the country, such as Maproom, have been implementing satellite-based imagery services, fueling the market in the country.
• For instances, in July 2022, Mapbox, a dynamic mapping base system, has released a new approach based on Maxar satellite imagery. It collaborated with the satellite imagery service provider to offer additional features in its maps, including elevation and projection for British and Irish Hills satellite views.

UK Satellite Imagery Services Industry Overview

The United Kingdom satellite imagery services market is moderately fragmented due to the presence of regional and global players operating in the Country, such as Maxar Technology, Airbus, Telespazio UK Ltd, Veritas Imagery Services Ltd, CGG SA, L3Harris Corporation Inc, etc. The market players in the country are adopting strategies such as partnerships, mergers, investments for service innovations, and acquisitions to develop competitive advantages to increase market share.

In September 2022, Airbus and In-Space Missions jointly designed and launched the Prometheus 2 satellites in the United Kingdom to support the science & technology activities of the Ministry of Defence of the Country. In addition, the two cereal box-sized Prometheus-2 satellites would operate in low Earth orbit at around 550 km and provide a test platform for better imaging, increasing the adoption of satellite-based imagery services in the Country.

UK Satellite Imagery Services Market Leaders

UK Satellite Imagery Services Market News

• July 2023: The European Maritime Safety Agency, operational in the United Kingdom with other EU nations, has awarded European Space Imaging (EUSI) and Airbus a 24-month contract to deliver Very High Resolution (VHR) optical satellite imagery to increase its maritime surveillance services to the European Commission and member states to support several functions in the maritime domain such as safety, security, environmental monitoring, and law enforcement.
• May 2023: UK-headquartered global sustainability consultancy ERM has partnered with California-based satellite imagery specialist Planet Labs in a new agreement that would expand the use cases and applications of Planet's imagery for ERM and enhance the reporting capabilities for ERM's clients through Planet's high-resolution satellite imagery services.