Airbus Unveils UP42, a New Platform Opening Geospatial Data to Innovation
Berlin, May 7, 2019 — Airbus Defence and Space has officially launched UP42, a space-technology venture created to make geospatial data and analytics accessible to a much broader audience. Structured as an open platform and marketplace, UP42 is designed to help developers and startups build, deploy, and scale geospatial products without the traditional barriers associated with earth observation data.
UP42 brings together satellite imagery, drone data, IoT inputs, and cloud-based processing into a single environment. By doing so, it enables users to focus on creating applications rather than managing fragmented data sources or complex infrastructure. The platform supports the full lifecycle of product development—from experimentation to commercialization—allowing users not only to build solutions, but also to launch and monetize them.
At launch, UP42 offers a suite of ready-made processing algorithms that address common challenges in earth observation workflows. These include tools for cloud detection in satellite imagery and automated change analysis over time. Such capabilities support a wide range of use cases, including agricultural monitoring, environmental and pollution analysis, and the study of urban growth patterns.
A key differentiator of UP42 lies in its breadth of data access. The platform aggregates information from both commercial providers and open-source sources, combining high-resolution satellite and drone imagery with other geospatial and sensor-based datasets. This approach addresses a long-standing challenge in the industry: many high-quality data sources have traditionally been difficult or impossible for smaller organizations and independent developers to obtain.
Beyond preconfigured tools, UP42 is built to support custom innovation. Developers and data scientists can upload their own algorithms directly to the platform or integrate them through an API. These algorithms can be executed in the cloud using UP42’s modular, scalable infrastructure, which dynamically adapts to processing demands. Support for containerized workflows, including custom Docker environments, allows advanced users to streamline development and deployment.
UP42 also introduces a commercial dimension for algorithm developers. Users can choose to publish their processing tools within the platform’s marketplace, making them available to others and creating new revenue opportunities. This model positions UP42 not just as a data provider, but as an ecosystem for exchanging both geospatial data and analytical capabilities.
According to UP42’s leadership, the platform was built to lower the entry threshold for small and medium-sized enterprises as well as independent developers. By combining diverse datasets with on-demand processing and a built-in marketplace, UP42 enables faster experimentation and reduces the cost and complexity of building geospatial applications. The company launched with an initial group of partners and plans to expand its data offerings steadily.
From Airbus’ perspective, UP42 represents a new approach to engaging the earth observation market. Rather than serving only large institutional customers, the platform is designed to foster collaboration in a public cloud environment, encouraging innovation across industries and user types. Airbus leadership emphasized that simplified access to diverse geospatial data sources is essential to unlocking the next generation of applications.
UP42 entered beta earlier in 2019 and initially provides access to data from partners such as LiveEO, ITO World, and Simularity, with additional contributors planned. Founded in 2019 with support from BCG Digital Ventures, the company is headquartered in Berlin’s Kreuzberg district. At launch, UP42 employed around 20 people and announced plans to expand its product and engineering teams as demand grows.
About UP42: UP42 is an open platform and marketplace created to help organizations build, operate, and scale geospatial products. By unifying high-resolution satellite imagery, drone data, IoT inputs, and processing algorithms in one cloud-based environment, UP42 enables developers and data scientists to extract insights, automate analysis, and accelerate innovation. Founded in Berlin in 2019, UP42 operates as a subsidiary of Airbus and serves users across multiple industries worldwide.
