Reliable Analysis Ready Data for Africa’s Future

The open and free data provided by Digital Earth Africa is dependent on what is called Analysis Ready Data (ARD). This is Earth observation data that has been processed according to a set of requirements that allow immediate analysis.

Preparing data for analysis is a major hurdle to the uptake of satellite images. Traditionally 80% of project time could be taken up in accessing, pre-processing and organising satellite images. Analysis ready data is a game-changer and is critical if Earth observation infrastructures are going to be efficient, and sustainable.

Digital Earth Africa uses open and free ARD provided by international satellite programs, including:

Landsat (USGS)
Sentinel-2 (ESA)
Sentinel-1 (ESA)

Making Satellite Data Accessible: CEOS Analysis Ready Data in Africa

Digital Earth Africa offers CEOS Analysis Ready Data (CARD) satellite datasets like Landsat, Sentinel-1, and Sentinel-2. These standardized datasets support water mapping, cropland monitoring, and land cover analysis, making insights accessible to non-specialists with consistent, up-to-date coverage.

Anaysis-ready data

Digital Earth Africa hosts satellite data compliant with CEOS ARD specifications, which are regularly updated through our platforms, ensuring consistent continental coverage. Landsat Collection-2, the foundation of Digital Earth Africa, is used in various services, such as Water Observations from Space.

Sentinel-2 for Crop Monitoring

Sentinel-2 data provides frequent, high-resolution observations, used in services like Cropland Extent Map and GeoMAD. Digital Earth Africa’s Sentinel-2 data is cloud-optimized and under peer review for CEOS ARD compliance.

Sentinel-1 for Land Cover and Vegetation

Digital Earth Africa provides CEOS ARD-compliant Sentinel-1 backscatter data, crucial for monitoring land cover and vegetation, especially in cloud-covered tropical regions.

Resources

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CEOS’s Introductory Webinar to Analysis Ready Data, featuring DE Africa’s Dr Adam Lewis.
DE Africa’s Technical Roadmap.