Photosat

What Photosat does

PhotoSat Information Ltd. is a Vancouver-based private geospatial services firm founded in 1993 by Gerry Mitchell (originally as RGI Industries). The company delivers satellite-derived topographic surveys, alteration mineral maps, and operational monitoring data to mining, exploration, oil & gas, and engineering clients across 75+ countries, with over 3,000 projects completed since inception.

The technology stack combines stereo and multispectral optical satellite imagery (from providers including Vantor/Maxar, Airbus, and Planet) with proprietary deep-learning convolutional neural networks trained on PhotoSat's in-house spectral library. Core products include engineering-grade Elevation Surveys achieving 10-15 cm RMSE vertical accuracy, Alteration Maps distinguishing 13-20+ minerals, Mine Site Surveying with volume accuracy within 2-5%, the high-frequency Argus Surveys sub-brand, Archive Surveying using declassified satellite imagery, and the December 2025-launched Regional Hyperspectral Exploration Targeting (R-HET) product. Output formats span DEM/DTM, contours, orthophotos, freeboard and capacity maps, and volumetric deliverables.

PhotoSat operates a project-based B2B services model under direct enterprise sales, with quote-based pricing in USD, recurring survey packages (monthly to annual), and a customer portal for delivery. Distribution is exclusively direct, supplemented by thought-leadership marketing via technical content, webinars (with Edumine and CIM), and conference participation (PASTE, TMW). The firm is founder-influenced (Gerry Mitchell remains Company Director after stepping down as president in 2021), independently owned with no disclosed external investors, ISO 9001 and 14001 certified, and operates with 11-50 employees from its Vancouver headquarters.

Name

Photosat

Legal name

PhotoSat Information Ltd.

Website

https://photosat.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

PhotoSat is a Vancouver-based geospatial services firm that applies proprietary deep-learning algorithms to satellite imagery to deliver engineering-grade topographic surveys and alteration mineral maps for mining and exploration clients globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Satellite Geospatial Surveying Services

NAICS

Geophysical Surveying and Mapping Services (541360), Surveying and Mapping (except Geophysical) Services (54137)

SIC

Services-Computer Processing & Data Preparation (7374), Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)

akta.pro primary industry

Satellite Imagery & Remote Sensing Geospatial Platforms (BPAMANAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Remote Sensing & Geospatial Vision (satellite/drone imagery) (HDAAAEAL), Mineral Exploration & Geoscience Services (Geology, Geophysics, Geochemistry, Resource Modeling) (IMAKAKAA), GIS & Spatial Data Management Platforms (BPAMANAK), Remote Sensing & Imaging (Satellite, UAV/Drone, Aerial, Multispectral/Hyperspectral) (AFAGALAC)

Keywords

• Satellite-based elevation surveying
• Alteration mineral mapping
• Topographic surveying services
• Geospatial data solutions
• Deep learning satellite processing

Headquarters

HQ city

Vancouver

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Satellite Survey Services: PhotoSat generates revenue through project-based satellite survey services including elevation surveys, alteration mapping, and specialized analysis for mining, exploration, and engineering clients. Services are priced on a per-project basis determined by area coverage, satellite type, and deliverable specifications. The company offers recurring survey packages (monthly, quarterly, bi-annually, annually) for operational monitoring.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

PhotoSat provides project-based satellite-derived geospatial data services to mining, exploration, and engineering clients worldwide. Its core deliverables are engineering-grade elevation surveys (DEMs/DTMs at 10–15 cm RMSE) and alteration mineral maps (13+ minerals via multispectral, 20+ via hyperspectral R-HET), produced by processing high-resolution optical satellite imagery through proprietary deep learning convolutional neural networks. Output products include Mine Site Surveys, Argus high-frequency operational surveys, Archive Surveys for historical reconstruction, Regional Topography, and the newly launched Regional Hyperspectral Exploration Targeting (R-HET).

Product overview

PhotoSat provides a comprehensive geospatial data solutions platform for the mining and exploration industry. The core offering combines satellite-based elevation surveying and alteration mineral mapping, supported by deep learning processing technology. The product portfolio includes mine site surveying (Mine Site Surveying), operational monitoring (Argus Surveys), tailings management insights (Data Insights, Topography for Dam Breach Analysis), and exploration solutions (Property Scale Alteration Mapping, Regional Alteration Mapping, R-HET). Elevation Surveys form the foundational topographic data layer, while Alteration Maps and the advanced R-HET (Regional Hyperspectral Exploration Targeting) provide mineral intelligence. Additional services include Archive Surveying for historical site reconstruction, Development Surveying for project planning, and Exploration Surveying for resource development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• R-HET (Regional Hyperspectral Exploration Targeting): A satellite-based mineral mapping solution utilizing hyperspectral satellite systems and deep-learning algorithms for regional-scale mineral exploration targeting.
• Argus Surveys

Products and services

• Elevation Surveys Produces bare-earth surfaces (DEM/DTM) from stereo satellite imagery without site visits, delivered in any file format and coordinate system. Uses high-resolution optical satellites including WorldView and Pleiades to achieve engineering-grade vertical accuracies of 10–15 cm RMSE.
• Alteration Maps Reliable detection of 13 key minerals including alunite, kaolinite, jarosite, and silica using multispectral satellite imagery with spectral matching and deep learning technology.
• Mine Site Surveying High-accuracy satellite surveying for operating mines and tailings facilities. Delivers bare ground surfaces, precision orthophotos, contours, colour shades, water body outlines, road features, building outlines, beach profiles, and volumetric data for mine operations and tailings management.
• Argus Surveys High-accuracy, high-frequency satellite surveying for small to mid-sized operational areas including tailings facilities, with custom mine grid coverage (0–10 km² within 25+ km² capture), up to biweekly revisit frequency, and delivery within 3 days of acquisition.
• Data Insights Interpretation-ready data package available with Mine Site Surveys, including freeboard maps, capacity maps, cut/fill volumes, dam crest elevation maps, deposition isopachs, and change visualization. Provides volume accuracy within ~2–5%.
• Topography for Dam Breach Analysis (DBA) Hydro-corrected survey data for conducting dam breach analysis and flow modeling. Covers inundation areas extending hundreds of kilometers downstream, supporting risk assessments and emergency response planning.
• Archive Surveying Reconstructs survey history of sites using decades of archive satellite imagery including declassified spy satellites, Landsat, Sentinel, WorldView, and Keyhole data. Supports legacy tailings facility management, forensic engineering, and production of pre-construction original ground surfaces.
• Development Surveying Engineering-grade survey data for project design and planning including mining development, construction, and renewable energy projects. Delivers orthophotos, contours, colour shades, slope direction images, water outlines, and road features.
• Property Scale Alteration Mapping Highly detailed mapping of alteration minerals for property-scale exploration programs. Uses WorldView-3 satellite imagery to detect 13 minerals at 2 m resolution. Supports epithermal, porphyry, and VMS deposit exploration.
• Regional Hyperspectral Exploration Targeting (R-HET) Next-generation regional-scale hyperspectral mineral mapping solution. Detects 20+ alteration minerals over 1,000s to 10,000s of km² with deep-learning models that identify subpixel mineral responses, differentiate mineral compositions and crystallinities, and estimate relative mineral abundances.
• Regional Alteration Mapping Alteration mineral mapping suitable for regional exploration using ASTER satellite imagery. Detects 9 minerals including silica, alunite, kaolinite, buddingtonite, calcite, chlorite, sericite, iron oxide gossans, and silica at 12.5 m resolution.
• Exploration Surveying Engineering-grade elevation survey data for resource development projects. Supports preliminary economic assessments, pre-feasibility studies, resource estimates, drill hole collar verification, and project base mapping.
• Regional Topography 3D elevation surfaces (DEM/DSM) for large and remote regions covering hundreds or thousands of square kilometers. Uses stereo satellite imagery from IKONOS and SPOT satellites with deep learning processing.

Quantifiable outcome

• Achieves 10-15 cm RMSE vertical accuracy for elevation surveys from WorldView satellites with ground control
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

AI capability3 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• AirbuscoreTechnology or IntegrationAirbus provides satellite imagery (Pleiades, SPOT satellites) that PhotoSat processes for elevation surveys and regional topography. PhotoSat works with Airbus satellite imagery as part of its data sources for topographic mapping.
• Vantor (formerly Maxar Intelligence)coreTechnology or IntegrationVantor provides high-resolution satellite imagery including WorldView satellites for elevation surveys, alteration mapping, and Argus high-frequency surveys. Their constellation provides daily collection capacity with 25-year imagery archive for historical analysis.
• EdumineminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEdumine is a professional development partner for webinars on historical imagery, tailings management, and satellite-based monitoring techniques targeting mining professionals.
• CIM (Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCIM partnership for webinars on alteration mineral mapping introducing satellite-based exploration techniques to geology professionals.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Corescan (Veracio): Provides hyperspectral mineralogical analysis and core scanning for mining and exploration clients. Most directly comparable to PhotoSat's alteration mineral mapping capability, though typically via drill core rather than satellite imagery.
• Maptek: Mining-focused geospatial, surveying, and mine planning software vendor. Overlaps with PhotoSat on mine site surveying, topographic data, and operational geospatial deliverables for the same mining customer base.
• Imdex: Mining technology provider offering drilling productivity and analytical solutions including hyperspectral mineralogy. Competes with PhotoSat in mineral mapping and exploration data products for the mining sector.

Broad incumbents

• Trimble: Major surveying, geospatial, and mining technology provider with broad hardware/software portfolios. Competes in topographic surveying and mine operations data, but as part of a much wider offering rather than satellite-only specialization.
• Hexagon (Leica Geosystems): Global surveying, geospatial, and mining technology incumbent via Leica Geosystems and related divisions. Overlaps on mining surveying, topographic mapping, and infrastructure geospatial services at large enterprise scale.

Emerging players

• Pixxel: Operator of a commercial hyperspectral Earth observation satellite constellation. Comparable because hyperspectral data is the upstream input PhotoSat's R-HET relies on; Pixxel is a potential partner and a future competitive entry into mineral mapping.
• Satellogic: Earth observation satellite operator providing multispectral imagery at scale. Adjacent competitor in satellite-based geospatial analytics with potential overlap into mining and environmental monitoring use cases.
• Earth AI: AI-driven mineral exploration company combining data analytics with field exploration. Competes with PhotoSat in the greenfield exploration targeting workflow using alternative AI/ML approaches to geological data.
• Satelytics: Geospatial analytics provider applying satellite-derived insights to industrial monitoring including mining, oil & gas, and environmental compliance. Overlaps with PhotoSat's data insights and monitoring offerings for industrial customers.

Others

• SkyWatch: Satellite data marketplace and analytics platform aggregating imagery from multiple providers. Comparable as an alternative channel through which customers access Earth observation data and analytics for mining and infrastructure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/PhotoSat_Info
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/photosat

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Photosat