Interpreting image file names and ID numbers

Emir Hartato

October 27, 2015 16:58

Planet uses different naming schemes for different types of images. The following will explain how you can interpret the different IDs.

PlanetScope

The name of each downloaded PlanetScope image product is composed of the acquisition date (YYYYMMDD), acquisition time (in UTC), satellite ID, product level, product type, and file extension. For example:

20190109_015005_1020_3B_AnalyticMS.tif is composed of 2019-01-09 (acquisition date), 01:50:05 (acquisition time), 1020 (satellite ID), 3B (product level), AnalyticMS (product type), and .tif (file extension).

In cases where two images were captured in the same second, an extra uniquely identifying counter is added after acquisition time to distinguish between the images. For example, 20151027_145652_1_0b0d_3B_Visual.tif

RapidEye

For RapidEye Ortho Tiles, each downloaded image product is composed of tile ID, acquisition date (YYYY-MM-DD), satellite ID, product level, product type, and file extension. For example:

The image, 3241621_2017-03-05_RE4_3A_Visual.tif is composed of 3241621 (tile ID), 2017-03-05(acquisition date), RE4 (satellite ID), 3A (product level), Visual (product type), and .tif (file extension).

Note: The tile ID that is part of the RapidEye file name corresponds to the rapideye.tile_id element in the scene metadata.

For RapidEye Basic Scene, each downloaded image product comprises an acquisition date (YYYY-MM-DD), acquisition time (in UTC), satellite ID, product level, product type, and file extension. For example:

The image, 2018-12-03T083453_RE4_1B_band1.tif is composed of 2018-12-03(acquisition date), T08:34:53 (acquisition time), RE4 (satellite ID), 1B (product level), band1 (product type), and .tif (file extension).

SkySat

The name of each acquired SkySat image is unique and allows for easier recognition and sorting of the imagery. Currently, it includes the date and approximate time of capture, as well as the satellite id that captured it. The name of each downloaded image product is composed of the following elements:

SkySatScene

{acquisition date}_{acquisition time}_{satellite_id}{camera_id}_{frame_id}_{asset}.{extension}

Example: 20200814_162132_ssc4d3_0021_analytic.tif

SkySat Collect

{acquisition date}_{acquisition time}_{satellite_id}_{frame_id}_{bandProduct}.{extension}

Example: 20200815_091045_ssc6_u0002_visual.tif

Pelican

Pelican image products follow two naming conventions depending on whether the file is a full Scene or a trimmed deliverable produced as part of task fulfillment. Both conventions provide globally unique identifiers for acquisition time, satellite, and asset type.

Full Scene Image Filename Convention

Full Pelican Scene products use the following naming pattern:

<acquisition date>_<acquisition time>_<satellite_id>_<imageAsset>.<extension>

Examples:
20250305_143613_03_3009_Analytic.tif
20250305_143613_03_3009_Visual.tif

This convention applies to all complete Pelican Scenes generated directly from the imaging strip before trimming or task‑specific processing.

Trimmed Imagery Folder Naming Convention

Trimmed assets, delivered for task fulfillment, include an additional unique capture identifier in the folder name:

Example:
20250305_143613_03_3009_3a44e78a-de6d-4d4b-b199-8f142deb10dd

Tanager

The name of each Tanager image and methane product is designed to be unique and allow for easier recognition and sorting. The name of each downloaded image product is composed of the following elements:

TanagerScene

{acquisition-date}_{acquisition-time}_{acquisition-time-seconds-hundredths}_{satellite-id}_{asset-type}.{ext}

Example: 20241005_062757_84_4001_ortho_radiance_hdf5.h5
Searchable product in Data API is: TanagerScene 20241005_062757_84_4001

TanagerMethane

TanagerMethane uses the same naming convention as TanagerScene. All TanagerMethane items have a corresponding TanagerScene item. However, TanagerMethane is only created where methane detection was requested, so many TanagerScene items will not have a corresponding TanagerMethane item.