Below is a quick guide on how to configure and optimize your Sentinel-2 data searches within the platform.
Step-by-Step Guide #
1. Set Date Range #
- By default, the date range is set to the last month.
- Use the calendar to select specific dates or months as needed.
- Adjust the date span carefully to avoid overly large queries.
2. Adjust Key Parameters #
- Cloud Coverage (%): Default is 10%, indicating the maximum allowed cloud cover.
- Area Coverage (%): Default is 90%, meaning each image must cover at least 90% of your AOI.
- Modify these defaults to refine or broaden your results.
3. Specify Additional Metadata #
- Include additional metadata filters to narrow down results, such as vegetation, moisture, water, and snow.
- Ensure these values are appropriate for your analysis to avoid missing relevant data.
4. Optimization Settings #
- Big Area Coverage: Combines multiple Sentinel-2 tiles from the same date into a single mosaic for large areas.
- Mosaics (Mean, Median, Minimum, Cloudless, etc.): Creates temporal composites across selected dates and metadata filters.
- Cloudless Mosaic: Generates a composite image minimizing cloud cover by selecting cloud-free pixels from multiple dates.
5. Save or Apply Filters #
- Click Save Filters to store the current configuration for future use.
- Click Apply to view the search results.
Best Practices #
Narrow Your Date Range
Large date spans can lead to extensive search results, increasing both loading time and credit usage.
Fine-Tune Filters
Adjust cloud and area coverage thresholds based on your specific project requirements.
Leverage Metadata
Filtering by vegetation indices or other parameters helps you quickly locate relevant scenes.
Consider Composites
Using Mean, Median, or Cloudless mosaics can simplify analyses by providing clearer, unified images, though these may require longer processing times.
Save Your Configurations
Regularly save parameters (date ranges, cloud limits) to streamline future searches.
No hard limitations exist for searches, but performance may vary based on data volume. Refining your filters improves processing speed and optimizes resource usage.
Time Analysis for Remote Enviro #
If you’re using the Remote Enviro product, you have access to Time Analysis tools, enabling you to generate statistics (Stat) and create timelapses for your selected date range.
Statistics (Stat) #
When you activate Stat mode, the platform applies a chosen statistical reducer (mean, median, max, min, variance) to images captured within a given time frame. This allows you to view aggregated results based on a particular date range or frequency (daily, monthly, yearly).
- Select Your Reducer
- Click the dropdown to choose the aggregator (mean, median, max, min, or variance).
- View the Result
- A single composite layer is generated from all images taken during the specified period.
Timelapses #
Timelapses combine multiple composite images into a sequence, allowing you to observe how an area evolves over time. Note the following aspects when using Timelapse:
- Frequency (Automatically adjusted)
- Defines how images within the selected date range are grouped.
- Day: Images from the same day are aggregated into a daily composite.
- Month: Images from the same month are aggregated into a monthly composite.
- Year: Images from the same year are aggregated into an annual composite.
- Reducer Method
- Each composite within the timelapse is generated using the selected reducer (mean, median, maximum, etc.).
- Playback
- Once generated, you can use controls to play, pause, and adjust the speed of the timelapse.
Note: Areas must be under 200 km² for efficient processing. Ensure no stacks or other active timelapses are present on the map.
Use the Time Analysis features to track seasonal trends, detect gradual changes, or create animated sequences highlighting key transformations in your area of interest.