SpatialCloud imagery content allows users to deploy or resell that “satellite” map view made famous by others, within their own corporate application, public website, or desktop without heavy licensing restrictions. Combined with vector data such as OpenStreetMaps (OSM) and with Free Open Source Software (FOSS) tools such as Openlayers, users can deploy large-scale applications with integrated maps using the Data-As-A-Service (DAAS) model.

SpatialCloud's goal is to give the world access to high-resolution imagery on a global scale - imagery which can be sold and resold as needed. In addition to SpatialCloud sponsored datasets, anyone with imagery can deploy their data at SpatialCloud.com and expose it to the world marketplace or keep it private for internal use. What makes the service different is it is a pay-as-you-go model that doesn't restrict users from on-selling data to end-users. SpatialCloud charges only for data transfer and use, while also providing log data showing customer activity. This is all accomplished interfacing with Amazon Web Services, a robust cloud infrastructure leveraged by SpatialCloud’s team.

The first SpatialCloud NAIP dataset is a seamless 1-meter coverage of the United States provided as WMTS (web mapping tiled service [OGC]). The United States' National Agriculture Imagery Program (NAIP), conducted by the USDA-FSA, has produced 1-meter datasets for public use for many years. However, using such data on a national or regional scale required acquiring or downloading it from numerous locales or relying on a combination of others' WMS servers. Further, few have the computer space and processing power to stand up and serve such imagery on the web, especially on a nationwide scale. This left those needing such coverage to turn to expensive alternatives and/or services with limited licensing. This is one area where SpatialCloud shines. While being valuable in its own right, this initial dataset also serves as an example of the potential of hosting and serving geospatial client applications with data from SpatialCloud.

"Now geospatial developers and users will have unencumbered streaming access to seamless USA NAIP aerial imagery data without cumbersome licensing restrictions and expensive data infrastructure," explained Mike Tully, SpatialCloud's President. "SpatialCloud NAIP (and future datasets) is licensed using flexible terms. For instance, the NAIP release falls under the very open 'Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported'."

SpatialCloud NAIP is available today as an OGC-compliant WMTS service via http://www.SpatialCloud.com, with Western States already online and additional USA coverage being added regularly. Low beta pay-as-you-go pricing makes testing the service trivial. To subscribe to the service sign-up for SpatialCloud.com, navigate to the NAIP MapSource page, and then subscribe using an Amazon.com account (if you’ve ordered a book from Amazon you already have one). Users can feel safe knowing all billing is funneled through Amazon's rock-solid payment solutions. In the future, additional SpatialCloud datasets (USA & Worldwide) will become available for subscription and additional custom hosting options will become available.

"SpatialCloud changes the way geospatial application developers, imagery providers, and end-users distribute and consume geospatial image data. Join us as we enhance our offerings during our beta stage and learn how you can leverage the advantages of using the cloud for your own geospatial projects today and well into the future," noted Mark Korver, Chief Technology Officer.

For more details regarding SpatialCloud.com, SpatialCloud NAIP, custom hosting, or future service offerings, please visit http://www.SpatialCloud.com. To try the service, register for an account and subscribe. If you run into questions, be sure to visit the site's "Support" page for assistance.

Mr. Korver closed, "We are attempting to do something new in the geospatial data market. I am hoping others will explore our concept and see the mutually beneficial nature of our model, for everyone in the geospatial imagery space."

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SpatialCloud is a geospatial services company providing enterprise-ready web-based tools to warehouse, process, publish, and visualize geodata using cloud infrastructure. Founded in 2008 and initiated by Aerial Services, Inc., a respected United States based geospatial services provider founded in 1967, SpatialCloud is committed to providing quality geospatial imagery data via the internet cloud at a low price.

Questions or comments may be directed at SpatialCloud's Marketing Manager, Joshua McNary, at joshua@SpatialCloud.com.