A black background fades into a satellite image of a green coastal landscape

Image Analysis and AI

Transform imagery into intelligence with GeoAI and advanced image analysis.

Find the right solution
A satellite image of a river leading to a coastline with shades of green and yellow highlighting terrain data

Extract insights from imagery at scale

Turn earth observations into action

ArcGIS combines spatial analysis, image analysis, and artificial intelligence (AI) into one powerful system that handles massive datasets at local and global scales. Integrate imagery from street-level, drone, aircraft, and satellite sensors with spatial data in fundamental and advanced workflows—and generate fully informed insights that impact decisions.

Get from imagery to insight faster

Start analyzing large volumes of imagery right away with cloud deployment options, on-the-fly processing, and ready-to-use models and algorithms.

Run powerful analyses on all types of data

Combine imagery and remotely sensed data with other spatial information. Run analyses to reveal new patterns and illuminate a bigger picture.

Extend the reach and impact of your work

You ran your analysis—what's next? ArcGIS includes tools to turn your complex data into approachable apps and visual stories for decision-makers.

An aerial drone image of the village of Granadilla in Caceres, Spain

Combine imagery with other data in new ways

Layer imagery and other content in one scene to reveal patterns and risks. Analyze more types of data to better understand where action is needed.

Your complete system for image analysis

Your complete system for image analysis

Get support when you need it most

Analyze imagery and raster data in a maintained enterprise system compatible with desktop, web, and mobile. Work with the knowledge that your data, workflows, and analyses are available at any time—even if you need to revisit your results months or years in the future. And, for assistance, our professional tech support team is ready to help.

A satellite image shows plots of land along a river with square and circular fields highlighted in blue, orange, and yellow

Strengthen insights using all relevant data

Integrate all forms of geospatial data into your analyses, including drone, aerial, and satellite imagery; vector data; and real-time data. Perform analysis on multiple complex datasets together, from local to global scales, for well-rounded results that account for more variables. And, as the ecosystem of available sensors evolves, have confidence that capabilities for analysis in ArcGIS will likewise evolve with your needs.

An image from Landsat shows changing morphology in a section of the Amazon River from 1984 to 2021.

Keep methods consistent

Build, iterate, and share your models and analyses in a visual workspace to replicate analyses consistently, with confidence. Build once, and share your tradecraft across the whole organization.

A point cloud with orange, green, and yellow points depicts bushes along a pathway in 3D.

Explore GUI- and scripting-based tools

In addition to APIs and Python notebooks, ArcGIS includes powerful web and desktop applications for a simplified no-code analysis experience. On-the-fly processing lets you preview the results of your analyses and make adjustments in real time, so you can test first, run once, and save results at full resolution for future action.

An aerial image of livestock in a field shows an AI model identifying animals with some highlighted pink and others in blue

Power analytics and insights at scale

Analyze large datasets faster in a stable, secure cloud environment such as ArcGIS Online, AWS, and Azure. Run complex analyses—including AI-driven object detection, feature extraction, and change detection—without limited compute resources slowing you down. Share your work with colleagues and collaborators around the world in a connected, on-demand system.

Extend when needed

Tap into the broad open science ecosystem to write your own code, extend and automate workflows, then transform your insights into services that seamlessly integrate with ArcGIS and third-party applications.

A satellite image shows plots of land along a river with square and circular fields highlighted in blue, orange, and yellow

What will image analysis in ArcGIS help you achieve?

Find answers in imagery faster with advanced image analysis at scale, including feature extraction using geospatial artificial intelligence (GeoAI), change detection, and time-series analysis. Perform analyses with data types like orthoimagery, motion imagery, lidar, and radar.

Turn raster data into meaningful insights with image analysis

Raster data provides insights beyond a simple basemap or a backdrop. Quickly understand any real-world landscape and identify relationships between features by examining every pixel in small or massive datasets. Below are a few examples of insights you can gather.

Applying image analysis in your industry

Analyzing imagery provides unprecedented insight into global conditions today—as well as what those conditions looked like in the past and what they could look like tomorrow. Decision-makers in all industries can benefit from a better understanding of how our world is changing.

  • State government

    Drone, aerial, and satellite imagery; image classification; and change-detection workflows support state agencies with sustainable development decisions, managing parks and recreation areas, managing brownfield sites, and providing awareness for first responders.

  • Local government

    Local governments use image analysis to perform workflows such as asset monitoring, inspections, tax assessments, infrastructure management, surface and flood modeling, and site suitability appraisal.

  • Defense and intelligence

    Organizations can use an extensive suite of remote sensing data including synthetic aperture radar (SAR) to enable decision-making. Model the effects of terrain and weather to generate suitability and susceptibility maps for tactical planning. 

  • Agriculture and forestry

    Assess and track vegetation, soil composition, terrain, forest growth and shrinkage, and wildlife patterns with satellite, drone, and aerial photography of fields and forests. Predict crop growth and yields, and analyze changing factors over time.

  • Environment and natural resources

    Use imagery and raster data to track changes like algae growth, icebergs, oil spills, weather, volcanic activity, and air quality. Identify harmful activities like illegal deforestation, fishing, mining, and poaching.

  • Mining and oil/gas

    Identify earth composition, monitor assets and resources such as pipelines, assess environmental impact, and mitigate disasters by using remotely sensed data that shows physical terrain as well as invisible conditions like air quality and weather patterns.

  • Sciences, education, and conservation

    Analyze earth observation and time-series datasets to understand our world as it relates to topics such as climate change, biodiversity, and sustainability. 

Previous
Next
An aerial view of an abandoned quarry shows dry, dark brown water tracks through the light gray stone
As we become more wired, more connected, [and have] more people on the planet, things are changing fast, and rather than being reactive all the time, we can catch things early. We can detect and protect natural resources in a much better way using imagery and ArcGIS.
Andy Carroll
Chief Technology Officer, SkyTec

The latest in image analysis and AI

Previous
Next

Experience image analysis in action

Analysis provides the most value when results can be used by stakeholders, decision-makers, and the public to drive action. Explore visual and intuitive apps that transform imagery and raster data into impactful insights anyone can understand.

Previous
Next

Esri solutions for image analysis

  • ArcGIS Image

    ArcGIS Image is a complete system for hosting, analyzing, and streaming imagery collections from your desktop, on-premises, or in the cloud.

    Explore ArcGIS Image

  • ArcGIS API for Python

    ArcGIS API for Python is a simple and lightweight library for analyzing spatial data, managing your Web GIS, and performing spatial data science.

    Discover ArcGIS API for Python

  • ArcGIS Spatial Analyst extension

    ArcGIS Spatial Analyst provides advanced spatial modeling and analysis tools to help you model terrain, find suitable locations and routes, discover spatial patterns, and perform hydrologic and statistical analysis.

    Explore ArcGIS Spatial Analyst

  • ArcGIS 3D Analyst extension

    ArcGIS 3D Analyst provides advanced tools for visualizing and analyzing 3D data, inclusive of lidar and point clouds.

    Explore ArcGIS 3D Analyst
Previous
Next

Get help finding the right solution

Schedule a conversation with one of Esri’s experienced sales consultants. Discuss how you're using imagery and remote sensing data now and discover where a comprehensive geospatial system can take your work next.