𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗜𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝘃𝘀 𝗮𝗻 𝗘𝘅𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗸𝘆𝗙𝗶

SkyFi offers two ways to get imagery: tasking a New Image or purchasing an Existing Image. A New Image order means you are requesting a satellite to capture a fresh image of your specified area during your chosen date window. This is essentially a tasking request — SkyFi will identify a satellite from its network to take a new picture of your Area of Interest (AOI) within the time frame you set.

In contrast, an Existing Image order means you are buying imagery already in the archive — a previously captured satellite image covering your area, often taken days or years prior. There are practical differences in delivery time and availability. When you order an Existing Image, the asset is delivered very quickly (often within hours) since it’s pulled from the library rather than needing a new capture. In fact, purchasing an archive image can get you the data in as little as about three hours via email. With a New Image, you must wait for the next satellite overpass in your date range to collect the image and for data processing; after capture, delivery can take up to 48 hours. If timely data is critical and recent archive coverage exists, an Existing Image is the fastest option. However, if you need imagery of a specific future date/time or a location/time not covered in archives, you’d choose a New Image tasking.

Quality and specifications are similar for both options — you can request high-resolution, multispectral, etc., for new captures or find existing images meeting those specs. Cost and minimum area may differ: New taskings tend to have higher starting costs and minimum size (e.g., 25 km²), whereas some existing images can be purchased in smaller areas (down to 5 km² for most providers). In summary, Existing Images are ideal for quick access to past captures, while New Images give you control over when an area is imaged moving forward, at the expense of some wait time and scheduling uncertainty.