Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to common questions about our services and policies.
Introduction
📌 How do I access cloud-free Sentinel-2 images?
You can access cloud-free Sentinel-2 via our cloudless data fusion service on dashboard.clearsky.vision. Simply sign up with your email or Google login. You can also request sample data at clearsky.vision/demo.
📌 What makes your Sentinel-2 imagery cloud-free?
We use advanced cloud removal and data-fusion by combining multiple satellites with deep learning. We clean optical imagery (clouds, cloud-shadows, atmospherics) and fuse cloud-penetrating SAR to produce multi-spectral, cloud-free images.
📌 What satellites are involved in your data fusion service?
Sentinel-1 (A/C), Sentinel-2 (A/B/C), Sentinel-3, Landsat 8/9, CBERS-4/4A, and Amazônia-1. We continually add new satellites.
Order
📌 What is meant by optional “Input Satellites”?
Beyond the required satellites, you can select additional inputs per order (e.g., CBERS-4/4A, Amazônia-1) to improve timeliness/quality. We’ll use all available scenes within your order window to meet the requested frequency.
📌 What is meant by “Image Frequency”?
The number of days between images. Set between 1 (daily) and 7 (weekly). Contact support for other options.
📌 What is meant by “Reference Date”?
Controls the cadence anchor. Weekly with a reference of 2025-01-01 yields 01, 08, 15, 22, 29, etc. Useful to align new orders with existing schedules; it doesn’t need to be inside the date range.
📌 What is meant by “Storage Months”?
Images are stored at least one month from production by default. You can extend storage months; deletions occur per-image as they age out.
📌 How long do I have to download my ordered images?
Storage and downloads are decoupled. Storage lasts ≥1 month (plus any extensions). Download credits (km²) are valid for one year; if data expired before you downloaded everything, you can reacquire using the remaining credits.
📌 How long does order processing usually take?
Most orders finish in 1–4 hours; very large/complex ones can take up to ~30 hours. For urgent timelines, contact [email protected].
📌 Can I cancel or modify after placing an order?
You can cancel while status is “Review”. After confirmation, cancellation isn’t possible due to processing costs.
📌 Can I switch from a recurring to a one-time order?
Yes — cancel the recurring order before the next billing cycle (before the first day of the next calendar month).
📌 Can I order partial tiles or partial minitiles?
No. Tiles are fixed (5120×5120 px). If a full tile lands poorly over your AOI, use minitiles or composites.
Pricing
📌 What is the minimum monthly order cost?
€50 minimum monthly spend across orders. If you spend less, a flat €50 applies to keep the account active.
📌 How is the base price per km² determined?
Each cloud-removal model has a base price including required inputs; optional constellations add on top. Example: Stratus-2 base price €0.20/km² (incl. required satellites).
📌 How does the tiered discount system work?
Usage-based discounts (Usage Units) apply monthly across composite and tile orders. Tiers scale up with volume; usage resets monthly.
📌 Is historical data cheaper than live/recurring data?
Per-unit list price is the same, but bulk historical orders more easily hit higher discount tiers; live/recurring includes ongoing acquisition and processing overhead.
API
📌 How do I authenticate API requests?
Use an API key from order.clearsky.vision.
📌 What is the rate limit for API usage?
Default: 4 concurrent requests and 4 RPS. Higher limits available on request.
Data and Delivery
📌 When will I receive my ordered images?
Live data: available by 10:00 CET the next day after acquisition. Historical: depends on AOI size, processed on order.
📌 Difference between historical and live/recurring data?
Same production pipeline for consistency. Historical is strictly backward-looking: we never use future data to “fill in” past dates.