Skip to content

Start using geospatial data with Azure! Everything about Planetary Computer Pro

Unlock Geospatial Insights: Use Planetary Computer Pro in Azure

AI Creator's Path News: Accelerate geospatial data analysis! Use your data from a global perspective with Azure Planetary Computer Pro! #geospatialdata #Azure #AIutilization

Video explanation

Global data analysis? What is Microsoft's "Planetary Computer Pro"?

Hello, I'm John, here to explain AI technology in an easy-to-understand way! What do you think of when you hear the phrase "using data to make new discoveries"? In fact, right now in the world of science, there is a growing movement to use large amounts of data and AI (artificial intelligence) to make new discoveries, almost as if by magic.

Jim Gray, one of Microsoft's great scientists, calls it "The Fifth Paradigm of Science" It may sound a bit difficult to understand, but the gist of it is that "data and AI will become the new standard for scientific research in the future!" And the interesting project that was born from this idea is the "Planetary Computer" that I'll introduce to you today, and its evolved version, "Planetary Computer Pro."

What is a "Planetary Computer"? A huge collection of Earth data!

First, let me talk about the "Planetary Computer." This is a computer that stores various information about the Earth, so-calledGeospatial DataIt's like a huge data catalog that collects a lot of "geographical data: information about places on Earth, such as maps, satellite images, temperature data, etc."

How many?Over 50 PetabytesThis is the equivalent of tens of thousands of home computers and contains over 120 different data sets. For example, here is the data:

  • Satellite images from the past few decades (see how Earth has changed over time!)
  • Biomass map showing distribution of forests and grasslands
  • US Census Data (Population and Household Information)
  • Forest fire occurrence data

These data help researchers and scientists study global environmental change and test new hypotheses, and because they are based on open source tools and standard rules, they are easy for many to use.

The Planetary Computer website also provides tools that allow you to display this data on a map and quickly see what information is available, just as if you were spinning a globe and pulling out detailed information about any place you're interested in. They also provide code that allows you to incorporate the data into your own research and applications using the programming language Python.

Use it for business too! "Planetary Computer Pro" is here!

Now, about this wonderful "Planetary Computer," there are probably some people who think, "It would be great if we could use it not only for research but also for company business..."Planetary Computer Pro"is!

This is a service that makes the powerful functions of Planetary Computer more accessible to businesses, and is part of Microsoft's cloud service "Azure" The best thing about Azure is that it can be managed with tools that you're already familiar with.

The main features of Planetary Computer Pro are:The focus is mainly on handling "geospatial data owned by our company"Of course, in the future it will be possible to easily access the public data sets provided by Planetary Computer, but for now it is just a platform for organizing and utilizing your own data.

When organizing the data,STAC (SpatioTemporal Asset Catalog)" is a common convention used to record different types of geospatial data in a standardized format, like a library card, so that different datasets can be searched and information retrieved in the same way.

Access management is also excellent, and you can use Azure security features (Entra ID and Azure RBAC) to fine-tune who can access what data. It's reassuring to know that you can safely handle your company's important data.

Who uses it? Who is it for?

Microsoft seems to be targeting three main types of people with the Planetary Computer Pro:

  • Solution Developer: People who want to create applications that use geospatial data or systems that process data.
  • data controller: People who want to catalog and organize the large amount of geospatial data within their company and make it available to those who need it.
  • Data scientist: People who want to analyze geospatial data to discover new discoveries and insights that can be useful for their business.

In other words, it is likely to be a powerful ally for people who want to start something new using Earth data or improve their current business.

How do I get started with Planetary Computer Pro? (Brief summary)

You may be wondering, "So, how do you use it?" Here, I will give you a rough outline of how it works.

  1. In Azure,GeoCatalogWe will create a dedicated place to store and manage geospatial data, called ".
  2. This is where we register the geospatial data we have. The data is stored in a cloud warehouse called Azure Blob Storage.
  3. When registering data, you need to write the information in the "STAC" format that I mentioned earlier. This requires some specialized knowledge, but it seems that templates are available.
  4. Once the data is registered, it can be searched, displayed on a map, and used for analysis using a web screen (UI) or a dedicated API (Application Programming Interface: a set of rules for software to exchange information).

What's particularly useful is that it provides a system for registering large amounts of data at once, as well as a tool (Explorer) that allows you to check whether the registered data is displayed in the correct position on the map.

What can you do with Planetary Computer Pro? Here are some ideas for using it!

So, what exactly can you do with the Planetary Computer Pro? Let's take a look at some ideas for how to use it.

  • Connecting with IoT (Internet of Things) data :
    Combining data collected from sensors installed in factories and farms (such as temperature, humidity, soil condition, etc.) with geospatial data managed by Planetary Computer Pro (topography, past weather data, etc.) enables more advanced analysis. For example, this could be useful for improving the accuracy of crop yield forecasts and for creating efficient operation plans for energy facilities (such as wind power plants).
  • Collaboration with Digital Twin :
    A digital twin is a technology that reproduces buildings, machines, or entire cities in the real world in their entirety in a computer. By combining this digital twin with geospatial data from Planetary Computer Pro, it becomes possible to perform simulations that are closer to reality.
  • Application to precision agriculture :
    By integrating and analyzing satellite images, aerial photographs taken by drones, local weather data, etc., it is possible to grasp in detail which parts of the field are lacking in fertilizer, the optimal timing for watering, etc. This will lead to improved crop quality and yields, and reduced waste of resources.

These are just a few examples. Depending on your ideas, you can expect to see applications in a wide range of fields!

Summary: Let's consider future systems from a global perspective

Until now, we may have tended to think of the systems and models we create as separate from the larger environment of the Earth, but tools like Planetary Computer Pro are a step toward better understanding and harmonizing our activities with the global environment.

Increasing business efficiency while reducing the impact on the environment: geospatial data and the tools to utilize it will likely play an increasingly important role in realizing this future.

I personally get very excited when I see how AI technology is contributing to understanding and preserving the global environment. I look forward to seeing what new discoveries and innovations will emerge from this! If you are having trouble with location-related data or want to try something new, remember the Planetary Computer Pro option.

This article is based on the following original articles and is summarized from the author's perspective:
Use geospatial data in Azure with Planetary Computer
Pro

Related posts

tag:

Leave a comment

There is no sure that your email address is published. Required fields are marked