Post #4248632
2026-04-16 05:32 UTC
@ai6yr@m.ai6yr.org counting cars from space became feasible when commercial VHR came about some 2 decades ago
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0262885606003544
Since then, the "counting cars in mall parking lot as an indicator of commercial activity" became the industry trope of the next billion dollar product.
Then came the floating roof oil tanks,
no one has ever made a viable, profitable product from it, yet here we are, 2026, satellite companies still "counting cars from space"
Replies (2)
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@hareldan@mapstodon.space 2026-04-16 05:34
@ai6yr@m.ai6yr.org It's an industry thing, here's Planet. Technology changes, business idiots don't https://mapstodon.space/@hareldan/116364636585512154
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@ai6yr@m.ai6yr.org 2026-04-16 14:45
@hareldan@mapstodon.space Ha! Thanks, this is hilarious. I think the current one that seems to be funding some companies here is "detecting wildfires from LEO", with no regards to what kind of satellite coverage is required and when the next satellite pass is, etc. (where the vast majority of fires are reported by people nearby within minutes... faster fire detection is not something that will fix wildfire problems)