Earth observation and space surveillance

Imaging satellites and drone surveys 4 companies

These companies build satellites that photograph the Earth by camera, radar and many bands of colour, and survey land with drones.

GalaxEyeGalaxEye, a company from IIT Madras with engineers in Bengaluru, is building satellites that combine radar and optical cameras, so they see through cloud and at night as well as by day.

PixxelPixxel, with engineers in Bengaluru, builds satellites that see many bands of colour and reveal crop disease, pollution and minerals. It launched its first commercial satellites in 2025.

PierSightPierSight, with engineers in Bengaluru, is building radar satellites to watch ships at sea.

AEREOAEREO, with engineers in Bengaluru, surveys land with drones and analyses the results.BengaluruSee alsoMapping and location intelligence platforms

The tech, explainedEarth observation satellites Satellite imagery analytics

Tracking objects in orbit 3 companies

These companies track satellites and debris in orbit and help operators avoid collisions.

DigantaraDigantara, with engineers in Bengaluru, tracks satellites and debris in orbit using its own sensors in space.

Kayhan SpaceKayhan Space sells software that helps satellite operators avoid collisions.

AetoskyAetosky, in Bengaluru, is another company that works on satellites.

The tech, explainedSpace situational awareness (SSA)

How it all worksEarth observationA cyclone, stressed fields and a ship gone dark.

See how it works →

What's changing

The picture that explains itself.

Satellites now take far more images than people can look at, so the value is moving from the picture to the answer: which fields are under stress, what changed since yesterday, which ships have switched off their position signals. India's satellite start-ups build both the satellites and the AI models that read their pictures.