Europe’s Green and Digital Transformations with 25 Years of VHR Satellite Archive Data
- Zuzana Hajkova, Content Marketing Coordinator, EUSI
Planning Europe’s future without knowing its past is impossible. The European Green Deal, Horizon Europe, the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 and other policies all demand one thing: evidence. Not just today’s data, but years of history that show how our cities, forests, and coastlines have changed.
That’s where EUSI’s satellite archive comes in. With over 125 petabytes of Very High Resolution (VHR) imagery dating back to 1999, it’s the largest collection of sub-metre satellite data available to European institutions and commercial users. But why does historical imagery matter for Europe’s green transition?
EUSI archive in numbers:
- 25 years of global VHR satellite imagery (since 1999)
- 11 years of 30 cm data
- 30–80 cm native resolution, processed to up to 15 cm HD
- 8 VNIR + 8 SWIR bands with Red Edge compatibility for Sentinel-2 integration
- <5 m CE90 geospatial accuracy
- 3.8 million km² of 30 cm imagery added daily
Our archive contains Very High Resolution data from 12 satellites, including 30 cm sensors starting from 2014.
Why historical data changes everything for EU policy
The Green Deal is focused on the future – but to reach that future, we first need to understand what has already happened. Climate scientists need years of ice retreat data to model future sea levels. Urban planners require long-term growth patterns to design sustainable cities. Biodiversity researchers depend on historical baselines to measure conservation success. Without this temporal depth, policymakers are essentially making billion-euro decisions based on snapshots.
“Why is having historical Very High Resolution (VHR) data important? Imagine you’re comparing today’s 50 cm image to a lower resolution image from 15 years ago and you can see a green, rectangular spot in an urban area. In the 2025 image, it’s clearly visible that it is a football field. But was it a football field already in 2010? You need high resolution imagery to be able to tell. EUSI is the only provider who offers an archive with sub-metre data dating back to 1999.”
Having historical VHR data is crucial to understanding change. Satellite imagery © 2025 Vantor Provided by European Space Imaging
What are the main use cases for a VHR satellite imagery archive?
Archive supporting Europe's digital twin cities
Cities cover 4.3% of EU territory today and will reach 7% by 2030. They are growing fast, and so are the challenges that come with managing the growth: zoning violations, inefficient infrastructure deployment, and loss of green space. That’s why we need precise, up-to-date data that can feed into digital twin models. EUSI’s UrbanPix programme addresses this head-on. It provides annual triple stereo coverage of over 100 key European metropolitan areas identified by the EU Commission and German Aerospace Center (DLR). The result are off-the-shelf 30 cm 3D models and 15 cm HD mosaics that meet three critical requirements:
- Acquisition frequency: Updates at least once or twice per year capture meaningful urban changes that 2–3 year cycles miss.
- Readiness: Pre-curated datasets eliminate tendering delays that can stall Horizon Europe projects.
- Geospatial fidelity: Resolution is detailed enough to distinguish road markings, pedestrian pathways, and minor infrastructure features.
3D model of Hamburg, created by GAF AG from EUSI archive imagery. 3D model © 2025 GAF AG Provided by European Space Imaging
Case study: Mapping Europe's "Arrival Cities"
Researchers at DLR used EUSI’s WorldView imagery to analyse 44 global Arrival Cities – informal settlements that house urban poor populations. Many of these are located in Europe. The study created a Morphologic Settlement Type Index based on building density, size, height, and layout captured in the satellite data. Results included accurate maps of urban poor areas (including those not officially recognised), tailored interventions based on settlement variations, and improved resource allocation to underserved areas. Learn more about this project.
Tracking biodiversity loss with sub-metre resolution
The EU has committed to legally protecting 30% of land and sea by 2030. Meeting this target requires frequent, detailed insights into land cover changes that Sentinel-2 alone cannot provide. The EUSI archive includes Red Edge and NIR bands compatible with Sentinel data, making it ideal for vegetation analysis. Time-series analysis at sub-metre resolution validates national habitat maps and supports ecosystem health monitoring under the IPBES framework.
1. Ground classification: Better planting strategies
Arboair software, using EUSI’s 15 cm satellite imagery, maps existing tree types, moisture levels, and topography. The analysis allows forest managers to plant tree species that are better suited to the specific conditions. They can also use the data to identify areas prone to erosion or waterlogging and reduce the risk of failed plantations or the need for interventions later. The result is higher climate resilience, survival rates and long-term forest stability, as well as lower environmental risks and land degradation.
A comparison of Sentinel vs WorldView Legion imagery at its native resolution before pansharpening. Multispectral images from Legion can be further pansharpened to 30 cm. VHR satellite imagery © 2025 Vantor Provided by European Space Imaging & Sentinel imagery © ESA
Applications include:
- Detection of illegal logging and land encroachment
- Mapping invasive species or habitat fragmentation
- Fine-scale vegetation index analysis in protected zones
Arctic Monitoring: Europe’s climate front line
The Arctic warms nearly four times faster than the global average, with consequences that reach far beyond polar regions. Sea-level rise, disrupted weather patterns, and new shipping corridors all affect European interests.
While Copernicus provides valuable polar monitoring, high-resolution historical data fills critical gaps in spatial and temporal coverage. EUSI’s two-decade archive of Arctic and boreal regions supports:
- Multi-year baselines for detecting glacier, sea ice, and infrastructure changes
- Maritime activity monitoring along emerging shipping corridors
- Evidence gathering for EU diplomacy and regulatory compliance
- Validation of climate resilience models and environmental impact assessments
VHR satellite image shows a vessel in the frozen Bothnian Bay. Satellite imagery © 2025 Vantor Provided by European Space Imaging
Case study: Fighting desert locusts to ensure food security in West Africa
The EU’s sustainability commitments extend globally, including food security interventions in Africa where 282 million people experienced undernourishment in 2022. Desert locust swarms alone can consume 191 million kilograms of crops daily – which led to a crisis in 2020 that destroyed over 175,000 acres of farmland. Researchers used EUSI’s WorldView archive imagery to create vulnerability models. They analysed:
- Historical soil moisture levels to identify ideal breeding conditions
- VHR-derived Land Use / Land Cover (LULC) maps to identify agricultural zones at risk
Thanks to the integrated socio-environmental vulnerability model, authorities were able to precisely target the breeding hotspots and optimise pesticide application. By using WorldView historical data accessible through EUSI, researchers provided intelligence that supported regional food security during the crisis.
Training AI for sustainability monitoring
European start-ups and researchers who are developing AI for sustainability applications need not only large volumes of imagery but also high quality, consistency, and accessibility. The EUSI archive provides:
- Exceptional resolution and clarity: 15–50 cm resolution supports precise object detection, from urban feature extraction to individual plant analysis.
- Cohesive datasets: 125 petabytes of imagery harmonised with consistent metadata and spectral bands.
- Streamlined access: API-based querying, filtering, and bulk downloads integrate seamlessly into AI development pipelines.
But how to solve the need for hundreds or thousands of images, which is unaffordable for most organisations? Arboair developed a system to overcome this obstacle.
The Swedish forestry company Arboair used several 15 cm HD images from the EUSI archive to create synthetic training data through the Unreal game engine. Instead of requiring thousands of satellite images, they trained their AI on artificial forests. This not only saved costs but also made the AI better at recognising uncommon tree types or unusual forest conditions.
The archive can be used for detailed change monitoring and urban development mapping. Satellite imagery © 2025 Vantor Provided by European Space Imaging
What Makes EUSI's Archive Different?
The market has options, but EUSI’s archive offers distinct advantages:
- Temporal depth: Two decades of continuous sub-metre imagery enables detailed retrospective analysis that newer providers can’t match.
- EU alignment: Curated datasets specifically address European urban planning and sustainability priorities, making them immediately relevant for Horizon Europe, Green Deal, and Digital Twin initiatives.
- Technical compatibility: Broad multispectral depth plus SWIR bands with Legion’s direct Sentinel-2 compatibility for advanced environmental monitoring.
- Access model: Single-source data access for European institutional users through programming interfaces and custom delivery pipelines.
The Data:
- 30–80 cm native GSD with up to 15 cm HD processing
- 8 spectral bands, including Legion’s Red Edge compatibility with Sentinel-2
- 8 SWIR bands
- <5 m CE90 accuracy
The archive can be used for detailed change monitoring and urban development mapping. Satellite imagery © 2025 Vantor Provided by European Space Imaging
The Archive:
- Over 125 petabytes of VHR imagery
- Dating back to 1999
- 74 million km² collected over Europe in 2024
- 3.8 million km² of 30 cm imagery collected daily
Looking forward with historical perspective
Europe’s green and digital transitions require decisions based on evidence. The EUSI archive provides that evidence – 25 years of it – at the resolution needed to see individual trees, evaluate land use / land cover, and map urban growth patterns. For more information about accessing the EUSI archive for your institution or commercial project, contact our team to discuss your specific requirements.
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