Processing and analyzing geospatial data now has made more information available as a result of MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. (“MDA” or the “Company”) (TSX:MDA), a global communications and information company, signing an agreement to enable access to RADARSAT-2 archive data on GBDX, the powerful Geospatial Big Data platform of DigitalGlobe, Inc. (NYSE: DGI).

GBDX is a platform for processing and analyzing geospatial data; it enables users to build, access and run advanced workflows and tools that extract actionable information from a cloud-based, multi-source satellite image library, allowing customers to quickly and cost-effectively solve large-scale, complex challenges.

MDA’s inclusion of a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) change-detection tool to GBDX, in addition to enabling access to a global archive of 5-meter resolution Extra Fine RADARSAT-2 imagery, will allow users to create reliably collected change-detection value-added products in the GBDX environment. The RADARSAT-2 SAR dataset allows users to observe features and changes in the environment that go undetected using other imaging techniques.

David Belton, vice president for MDA Geospatial Services Inc. said that integrating MDA’s dataset on the platform will unlock new applications for RADARSAT-2 data, such as automated port monitoring, object detection, and pattern of life analysis.  They look forward to adding more tools and content to GBDX in the future to advance the number of powerful and easy-to-use applications that solve real-world problems for their customers.

Dr. Shay Har-Noy, vice president and general manager of DigitalGlobe’s Platform business unit added that with easy, cloud-based access to DigitalGlobe’s existing 100-petabyte optical imagery library with MDA’s change-detection capability and RADARSAT-2 archive, GBDX subscribers can now create multi-source solutions to solve complex, global-scale challenges.