Orders API FAQ

Introduction

In July 2020 Planet release the Orders API. 

Summary

For all users:

• Cloud delivery – Specify a cloud provider to deliver the data (Amazon S3, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Service)
• Email and webhook notifications – Allows your backend services to be notified directly when your order is available.
• Order zipping – Deliver order in a zip file. 
• File Format – Convert your imagery files to COGs (Cloud-Optimized GeoTIFFs), ideal for web-based workflows. NITF 2.1 format is also supported. 

For users with Preferred or Premium plans (see plans defined below):

• Clipping – Crop to download only the data within your specified are of interest, your quota is charged a minimum 100 sq km per scene (Preferred plan) or 1 ha per scene (Premium plan)
• Band math – Apply band math to produce derived raster products
• Reproject – Reproject, resample, and rescale raster products to a new projected coordinate system, and resolution.
• Top of atmosphere correction – Convert radiance products to top of atmospheric reflectance.
• Tiling – Split a file into a regular set of tiles based on a user-defined tiling system

What is clipping and why is it important?

Clipping aims to provide you with greater control over the imagery you download and  your quota consumption. Clipping allows you to crop an image before downloading.  You may specify an  area of interest with up to 500 vertices. your quota will be charged the size of your downloaded imagery or a minimum of 100 sq km or 0.01 sq km (1 hectare) per scene that intersects with your area of interest, depending on the plan purchased. 

At a high level, what is the value to customers of Orders API? How does it solve your pain points?

The Orders API enables you to create pipelines to continuously ingest large volumes of imagery (whether PlanetScope or SkySat) for processing and analysis. Customers will find the Orders API valuable because it aims to resolve key challenges, such as:

• Inefficiency in workflows. 
• High total cost of ownership. 
• Difficult to access. 

The Orders API can help you improve efficiency in your workflows, prepare, and deliver the data to suit your analysis, and reduce storage costs by only downloading what you need. 

How is the Orders API different from the Data API?

As opposed to searching and activating a single asset with the Data API, the Orders API enables you to download larger volumes of data simultaneously, as well as deliver that data to your cloud platform of choice. The API also equips you with a set of raster tools to prepare the data for analysis before download.

Why would I choose to use the Orders API instead of the Data API?

Previously, with the Data API, it would take at least 1,000 API calls and proactive monitoring to activate and download 500 images. Now that same number of downloads can be achieved with a single API call.

Will the Data API continue to be supported? 

Yes. We currently have no plans to deprecate or sunset the Data API. The Data API may continue to be the API of choice for users with simple imagery orders of one scene at a time. 

Is Orders supported in Planet Explorer?

Yes. If you have a plan that supports the new clipping functionality, it is also available in Planet Explorer. We are exploring support for more Orders API raster tools and welcome your feedback on the ones you’d like to see most. 

What are the different user plans for Orders API and what is the value of each?

What is the minimum size a user can clip an image (scene)?

• Preferred: 1 pixel 
• Premium: 1 pixel

What is the minimum charge for a clipped image (per scene)?

• Preferred: 100 sq km
• Premium: 0.01 sq km (1 hectare or ~2.5 acres)

Who do I reach out to with questions?

Reach out to your Customer Success Manager or support@planet.com with any questions regarding your plan or the new features.