Google to provide satellite photos to nonprofits for free

Google has announced that it will offer images from its satellite arm Skybox to non-profit organizations at no additional cost. During an initial beta test, the photos will also become publicly available under a Creative Commons license.

According to Skybox, its satellites regularly take high-resolution photos of the Earth. These images are used in Google Maps, among others, but the company has now announced that it will provide imagery from its SkySat-1 satellite launched last year to non-profit organizations free of charge. They can use the images, for example, to study the consequences of climate change or to better respond to humanitarian crises, such as after a natural disaster.

Skybox is entering a beta period with its Skybox for Good project, with the company itself selecting a number of non-profits to access the footage. All photos will be made available under a Creative Commons by Attribution license during this period; some of them can already be found on Google Maps.