Think Earth Observation from satellites is just for space agencies? These 5 myths are costing your business real innovation.
Earth Observation (EO) could contribute $3.8 trillion to global GDP by 2030.
So why are some businesses still ignoring it?
Because it’s still misunderstood and often seen as complex, costly, or only relevant to governments and scientists.
At Progressive Systems, through our EOReach initiative, we help corporate decision makers and public administration officials bridge this EO awareness gap.
To start, let’s clear up 5 of the most common myths that might be stopping you from fully leveraging EO in your business.
🛰️ Myth 1: “Earth Observation is only for space agencies”
✅ The reality: EO has come down to Earth and it’s open for business.
Earth Observation has moved well beyond the domain of ESA or NASA. Thanks to reduced satellites launch costs, access to space is no longer reserved to big-budget institutions. This shift has unlocked a wave of innovation, expanding capabilities in communication, navigation, and also environmental monitoring through a widening array of public and commercial applications.
This means governments, businesses, and even individuals are getting more and more involved, building a dynamic ecosystem that’s solving problems at every level: local, regional, and global, making the benefits of space more accessible than ever [1].
Whether you’re tracking climate risks, assessing land use, or improving crop forecasting, EO isn’t just about orbiting satellites, it’s about delivering insights to the people who need them most, right here on the ground.
🧠 Myth 2: “It’s too technical for my team to use.”
✅ The reality: You don’t need a PhD to use Earth Observation tools.
Modern platforms for accessing and processing EO data are designed also with non-expert users in mind, not just scientists or engineers.
There’s no need to know how to process raw imagery or acquiring the technical skills to maintain your own tech infrastructure to process Earth Observation data. Today’s platforms and the experts managing them do the heavy lifting behind the scenes, from data collection to analysis. What you get are clean dashboards, smart alerts, and visual tools driven by user-friendly UI (User Interface) and UX (User Experience) design that make EO data easy to understand and act on.
In other words, your team doesn’t need to become experts in remote sensing, they just need to know what problem they need to solve.
💸 Myth 3: “It’s too expensive for my budget.”
✅ The reality: Some of the most powerful EO data is 100% free.
Take Copernicus, for example. It’s the European Union’s Earth observation program that runs a fleet of Sentinel satellites, keeping an eye on everything from land and oceans to the atmosphere and climate, even emergencies. Most of the data they collect is completely free and open to anyone, anywhere in the world [2].
That said, it’s important to be transparent: while accessing raw EO data can be free, turning that data into useful insights usually takes some extra work. Processing satellite data might mean investing in tools, cloud computing, or expert help, which can add to costs.
Plus, commercial providers offering high resolution imagery often charge fees that vary depending on what you need.
The good news is that there are also initiatives aimed at helping users explore different services for Earth Observation (EO) data exploitation without the need for upfront investment. For example, through our EarthConsole® platform, we could offer services free of charge thanks to vouchers provided by the European Space Agency’s Network of Resources initiative. If your organization is engaged in a pre-commercial, educational, or research project, these vouchers can cover the full cost of using an EarthConsole® service for a feasibility study—allowing you to test your idea risk-free.
🤖 Myth 4: “We already use ground sensors or drones, we don’t need EO.”
✅ The reality: EO isn’t here to replace your existing systems, it enhances them.
For example, drones are great at capturing super detailed images over small areas with accuracy and flexibility. But they have their limits, like flight time, range, and sensitivity to weather [3].
That’s where satellite data steps in. Satellites cover huge areas quickly, reliably, and repeatedly. Their revisit rate, meaning how often a satellite passes over the same location, can range from several times a day to every few days depending on the satellite and orbit. This makes it possible to detect patterns and changes over time at regional or even global scales.
That said, satellite data isn’t perfect. The resolution might not catch tiny details, and optical images can be blocked by clouds sometimes. Radar satellites help with this but need a bit more know-how to interpret. Also, satellites might miss fast or small events that happen between their passes.
That’s why other sources like drones, ground sensors, or IoT devices are still so important.
Together these tools form a powerful team for Earth Observation, combining the broad, regular coverage of satellites with the precision and immediacy of local systems.
📉 Myth 5: “There’s no clear ROI from using EO data.”
✅ The reality: EO is already driving measurable results.
According to a study by the World Economic Forum in collaboration with Deloitte, EO data could unlock a $3.8 trillion contribution to global GDP between 2023 and 2030 by driving innovation in sectors like agriculture, energy, finance, and environmental management [4].
With the right tools and support, EO can be directly linked to your KPIs.
It’s also good to know EO works best when combined with on-the-ground data to check and fine-tune insights. Planning for this mix will help you get the most out of your investment in EO.
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Want to explore how EO could support your business goals? 📧 E-mail us at info@progressivesystems.it
Credits and references
[1] OECD (2023), The Space Economy in Figures: Responding to Global Challenges, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/fa5494aa-en.
[2] https://www.copernicus.eu/en/access-data
[4] World Economic Forum (2024): https://www.weforum.org/stories/2024/05/earth-observation-will-unlock-huge-value-for-these-6-industries/
[5] Sentinel-3 model image credits to SkywalkerPL – own work, CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=47012912
