AI-detected vehicles (green) and vessels (magenta) in Cape Town, South Africa. Image: BlackSky
For defense and intelligence agencies navigating today’s fast-paced global environment, timely and reliable geospatial intelligence isn’t a luxury; it’s a necessity. Yet for many users across the D&I community, traditional solutions no longer satisfy. In short, they’re too slow.
Slow intelligence hurts everyone: allied Ministries of Defense checking their borders, U.S. government agencies operating at scale or federal civilian teams responding to natural disasters. The problems start with restrictions on intelligence or days spent waiting for data. Analysts also complain that legacy solutions block progress by making intelligence hard to order, unreliable or undelivered — and overall impossible to control.
How slow intelligence and legacy solutions hurt defense and intelligence teams
Here’s what intelligence leaders have told us are some of their top frustrations.
Slow workflows. Slower decisions. Lengthy wait times for data delivery caused by decades-old workflows can significantly slow down decision-making – especially in critical situations where actionable insights are needed in under 24 hours.
Too many steps, not enough speed. Traditional ordering processes slow you down, because manual feasibility reports and extra steps stand between you and the intel you need.
Down when you need it most. Some solutions have proven less than reliable. Unexpected operational issues and constellation downtime can leave you in the dark at the worst possible moment.
Eliminate intelligence delays with On-Demand
BlackSky’s On-Demand service redefines what’s possible for defense and intelligence organizations. On-Demand puts space-based intelligence in your hands quickly, empowering you to stay on top of change. Leaders and analysts get industry-leading delivery timelines for imagery and analytics, flexible control over constellation tasking, and unparalleled access for monitoring the most important places on Earth. On-Demand offers speed, autonomy and capacity, without the bottlenecks.
Ministries of Defense and intergovernmental organizations act faster with BlackSky
Aircraft at Yelahanka Air Force Base in Yelahanka, India. Image: BlackSky
For example, India is striving to build space-based monitoring capabilities to serve national security and defense agencies with critical satellite intelligence as soon as it’s needed.
Through a new initiative with BlackSky and NIBE Space, India gains immediate tasking capabilities, operational flexibility and analytic insights to further its strategic goals faster and more effectively.
Convoy of intergovernmental vehicles in an overnight formation. Image: BlackSky
BlackSky’s On-Demand service also played a critical role in a high-stakes mission for an intergovernmental organization. Remote operational teams urgently needed support to track a miles-long convoy crossing hazardous terrain mined with IEDs. On-Demand intelligence ultimately helped ensure the convoy’s safe arrival. The success of this mission underscored how monitoring from space helps humanitarian and security teams dealing with dangerous conditions.
Meet Gen-3: the next era of space-based intelligence
Sohae Launch Facility in Tongch’ang-ri, North Korea. Image: BlackSky
This year, defense and intelligence organizations will achieve even greater situational awareness with BlackSky’s new Gen-3 capability. Gen-3 delivers space-based intelligence at unmatched speed, detail, and agility — giving operators and analysts the power to observe, react and adapt in real time. On-Demand customers use Gen-3 to collect 35 cm imagery with AI-driven analytics, re-collecting at important places as often as hourly so forces can detect threats, verify actions and update their strategy faster than ever before.
Launched in February 2025, Gen-3 is already exceeding expectations, giving defense organizations the edge to respond to threats and adapt in the moment.
The top three reasons D&I organizations choose On-Demand
Rapid delivery for an up-to-date common operating picture
90 minutes is typically all it takes for On-Demand imagery and analytic data to reach you after collection — instead of days, as with legacy intelligence sources. And Gen-3 picks up the pace. As the constellation grows, Gen-3 collections will be delivered in 60 minutes. For rapid insight, AI-powered analytics run without delay, detecting small objects like cars and trucks and charting detections over time in the BlackSky Spectra® platform. Rapid data delivery enables an up-to-the-minute operating picture.
Flexible tasking options that you control
BlackSky’s intuitive web app and API enable you to task satellites directly, giving you full control over what, when and where to collect. Instant, weather-informed reports gauge the feasibility of your requested task, allowing you to plan with precision and confidence. And a range of priority levels helps you ensure you receive collections in high-competition regions such as conflict areas, supporting a faster intelligence cycle.
Global, real-time monitoring
BlackSky On-Demand helps you understand critical areas of interest like borders, active facilities, airports, seaports and more. Need to analyze pattern of life? Collect daytime imagery any time from dawn to dusk and nighttime imagery to see activity after dark. Organizations focused on the world’s most strategic and active places task frequently in the most populated latitudes, from 60ºN to 60ºS. With minutes-old intelligence and historical archive data, you pinpoint change at critical places.
Take control: unlock On-Demand today
Zayachy Island in St. Petersburg, Russia. Image: BlackSky
BlackSky On-Demand is more than a subscription service — it’s a strategic advantage in a world where timing, precision and autonomy are mission-critical. The ability to control your access to real-time space-based intelligence can be the difference between reacting late and leading with confidence.
Ready to start a conversation about how your organization can harness the power of On-Demand and space-based intelligence for dynamic monitoring? You can contact us here. Be sure to subscribe to stay at the forefront of innovation in space-based intelligence.