Overview
Tasking is a request that is sent to our satellite supplier, to specifically capture an Area of Interest (AOI), over a given date range.
Tasking has a higher chance of imagery being collected compared to archive, and requires satellites to change their normal pattern of image capture, therefore is offered at a premium rate and includes a minimum order size.
To understand how tasking operates, we recommend reviewing the material below.
Minimum AOI Sizes and Pricing
There are a couple of key minimums and restrictions on creating tasking orders:
Depending on the source, tasking orders have minimum AOI size and cost requirements. A summary can be found in the article "AOI Size and Cost Requirements".
Only one AOI can be submitted per order.
Future data
By placing a tasking order, you are requesting an image (or images) to be collected over your AOI. Tasking requires our suppliers to alter their planned schedule for future data collection. This ensures that our suppliers will be attempting to collect an image over your AOI during your interval (conditions may apply, e.g., weather). Ordering tasking data provides you with confidence all efforts will be made to send you data for your selected AOI. Tasking data prices reflect that.
Committed data orders
Once an interval in an order set to request tasking data gets close to the scheduled order date, the order will be considered committed. An order that is committed cannot be deleted. If you wish to cancel a tasking order before it starts, please contact your support team.
Troubleshooting a failed tasking order
Here are a few errors to avoid when creating an order to request a tasking to ensure your orders go through.
Talk to your Account Executive about credit approvals to ensure you are pre-approved for the amounts you are requesting
Set a maximum budget at or above tasking prices. A failed budget check will not place a tasking order and simply return archive data at a later date (if any was collected).
An interval end date too close to the current time. You need to allow enough time for orders to be received by our partners and included into their schedules for collection. An interval end date too close to the current time will automatically switch to an archive search scheduled at the end of your interval.
You must set a start date in the future. Orders with a start date in the past will only look for archive data.
For tasking pricing see Data Pricing.