High-Resolution Satellite Imagery

High-Resolution Satellite Imagery refers to detailed aerial images captured from satellites, typically offering ground resolutions from 5 meters down to 30 centimeters per pixel. In the solar industry, high-resolution satellite imagery is used extensively for roof modeling, site analysis, shading assessment, array planning, and automated design workflows.

Accurate imagery helps solar designers evaluate rooftops, measure tilt and azimuth, identify obstructions, validate site boundaries, and estimate energy production without requiring an on-site visit. It is essential for fast, accurate, and scalable solar workflows, especially when using software platforms like Solar Designing or shading modeling features such as Shadow Analysis.

Key Takeaways

High-resolution satellite imagery provides detailed visual data for accurate remote solar design.
Essential for identifying roof edges, obstructions, shading, and usable areas.
Enables fast, precise design when paired with tools like Auto-Design and 3D modeling.
Reduces site visits, improves proposal speed, and enhances production accuracy.
Used across residential, commercial, and utility-scale workflows.

What Is High-Resolution Satellite Imagery?

High-resolution satellite imagery consists of detailed, top-down images of the Earth captured from orbiting satellites. In the context of solar engineering, “high resolution” typically means imagery detailed enough to visualize:

Roof edges
Roof planes and geometry
HVAC units, vents, chimneys
Trees and shading structures
Surrounding buildings
Terrain elevation cues
Property lines and setbacks

These images are processed and integrated into solar design platforms to support accurate remote site surveys, reducing the need for on-site assessments during preliminary design phases.

High-resolution imagery works alongside tools like Irradiance Mapping, 3D Solar Modeling, and Array Boundary Tool to help teams build precise and code-compliant PV layouts.

How High-Resolution Satellite Imagery Works

Although invisible to the end user, the process behind high-resolution satellite imagery includes several steps:

1. Satellite Capture

Satellites equipped with multispectral and panchromatic cameras photograph the Earth at regular intervals.

2. Image Processing

Captured imagery undergoes:

Orthorectification (correcting distortion)
Color balance and enhancement
Geolocation correction
Cloud filtering

3. Integration With Solar Software

Solar platforms integrate satellite images and allow users to:

Trace roof outlines
Identify obstructions
Estimate roof pitch
Run shading simulations
Generate array boundaries

These workflows power advanced features like Auto-Design and Solar Layout Optimization.

4. Overlaying Terrain & Structure Data

Imagery is often combined with LIDAR, GIS data, or elevation maps to support:

Pitch and azimuth detection
Tree-height estimation
Terrain slope modeling

This combination enables more accurate kWh projections and production modeling.

Types / Variants of Satellite Imagery Used in Solar

1. Standard High-Resolution Imagery (30–50 cm)

Ideal for:

Residential rooftops
C&I flat roof mapping
Prelim shading checks

2. Super High-Resolution Imagery (10–20 cm)

Used for:

Complex roof geometries
Dense urban environments
Detailed obstruction identification

3. Multispectral Imagery

Contains color bands helpful for identifying:

Vegetation
Heat-absorbing surfaces
Ground cover types

Useful for solar farms and agrivoltaics.

4. Stereo & 3D Satellite Imagery

Supports 3D surface reconstruction for:

Elevation modeling
Roof slope accuracy
Terrain-based shading analysis

How It’s Measured

Resolution refers to how many centimeters or meters of ground each pixel represents.

Spatial Resolution (Primary Metric)

Common solar-use resolutions:

30 cm/pixel (very high)
50 cm/pixel (high)
1–5 m/pixel (medium)

Temporal Resolution

How frequently the satellite refreshes the imagery.

Radiometric Resolution

Number of color depth levels per pixel.

Geometric Accuracy

Alignment accuracy with true ground coordinates.

Typical Values / Ranges

Practical Guidance for Solar Designers & Installers

1. Prefer 20–50 cm imagery for rooftop solar

Provides the most accurate representation of roof edges, vents, pipes, and shading structures.

2. Always cross-check potential shading obstructions

Use Shadow Analysis to validate shading at different times of year.

3. Combine satellite imagery with 3D modeling tools

Tools like 3D Solar Modeling improve production accuracy.

4. Use high-resolution imagery before site visits

Reduces truck rolls and accelerates proposal generation.

See Solar Proposal Tools for integrated workflows.

5. For utility-scale projects, pair imagery with GIS datasets

Useful when mapping large tracts of land—see GIS-Based Site Analysis.

6. Always verify roof pitch with measurement tools

Use the Roof Pitch Calculator for accuracy.

Real-World Examples

1. Residential Rooftop Project

A designer uses 30 cm satellite imagery to identify the usable roof surface, trace ridges and hips, exclude a skylight, and generate an instant Auto-Design.

2. Commercial Warehouse Solar Design

High-resolution imagery reveals parapet wall heights and HVAC locations, allowing a precise layout and walkway planning.

3. Utility-Scale Solar Farm

Low-resolution satellite data supports terrain mapping, vegetation density analysis, and boundary drawing before a full survey.