Planet’s ($PL) eyes in space are constantly keeping watch over the seas, and the military is looking to increase the ways it takes advantage.
On Friday, the US National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), which supports both DoD and the intelligence community with imagery collected in orbit, awarded Planet Labs a $12.8M contract through the Luno B program.
- The indefinite quantity, indefinite delivery (IDIQ) contract covers AI-enabled maritime intelligence, like vessel detection and ocean monitoring, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region.
- The award was granted to Planet and its partner SynMax, which operates an AI data analytics platform called Theia that can help identify shady behavior on the seven seas.
“In leveraging our PlanetScope constellation, which provides unparalleled broad area coverage of high interest ocean areas with near-daily revisit rates, users will continue to have the critical, relevant data they need to act quickly and decisively to help maintain maritime security around the world,” Planet’s VP of global defense and intelligence, Jon Powers, said in a release.
In plain sight: It’s tough to keep track of everything going on across the ocean’s surface. Illegal fishing boats, dark vessels—so called because they turn off their voluntary tracking systems to travel undetected—and unreported vessel transfers can happen in relative secrecy.
The US military has an interest in keeping better track of the illegal and unreported activity going on in the Asia-Pacific region. Satellite data, paired with powerful analytics platforms that can actually identify unusual behavior amidst the traffic, is key to achieving that goal.
Eyes on the planet: As the prime contract on the Luno B NGA contract, Planet will deliver maritime intelligence data based on its satellite data and SynMax’s AI analysis for use by the US military. The $12.8M award covers the initial phase and delivery on the contract, but the NGA has the option to extend the partnership and buy additional data based on preset prices outlined in the agreement.
