For many organizations, it’s important to make imagery and imagery-derived products available to internal and external users for visualization and analysis. However, the cost of setting up and maintaining their own enterprise infrastructure can be prohibitive.
Hosting imagery in ArcGIS Online allows users in an organization to host, analyze, and stream imagery and raster collections using the ArcGIS Online cloud, which is secure and scalable. ArcGIS Online is a software as a service (SaaS) solution for imagery in your organization. Authorized personnel in an organization can upload various image types and formats, including orthomosaics, satellite scenes, aerial images, elevation, and bathymetry. Metadata associated with the imagery is also maintained. The imagery can be shared in the following ways:
- Tiled imagery layers can be accessed quickly and include pixel data values so end users can perform analysis, update renderings, or visualize different band combinations. They can also be used to share imagery and analysis results publicly.
- Dynamic imagery layers provide access to the images with server-side dynamic mosaicking and on-the-fly processing (similar to traditional image services). Dynamic imagery can also be used with low-bandwidth, high-latency networks.
Authorized users in an organization (or external users, if the service is made public) can then access the imagery for visualization or analysis using a variety of clients, such as ArcGIS Pro, ArcGIS Online Map Viewer, APIs, or web apps.
Explore the following resources to learn more about hosting imagery in ArcGIS Online.
Note:
To host imagery in ArcGIS Online, you need a Creator, Professional, or Professional Plus user type with privileges to publish hosted imagery layers and create content for your ArcGIS Online organization. The organization administrator can then enable imagery layer creation (or imagery analysis) privileges for individual users.
ArcGIS help
Review the following links on reference materials for ArcGIS products:
- Learn how to publish hosted imagery layers in ArcGIS Online.
- Learn about the different types of imagery layers you can use to publish imagery on the web.
- Learn about managing hosted imagery layers in ArcGIS Online.
- Learn how ArcGIS Online credits are used for image hosting and analysis.
- Learn how to view and report the status of content, credits, members, and more.
- Learn about user types, roles, and privileges, including privileges required for publishing hosted tiled imagery layers, publishing hosted dynamic imagery layers, and performing image analysis.
ArcGIS blogs, articles, stories, and technical papers
Review the following supplemental guidance about concepts, software functionality, and workflows:
- Read a blog explaining why you should consider hosting imagery in ArcGIS Online.
- Learn about the imagery layers, as well as the technical functionality of tiled imagery layers and map tile cache.
- Learn how to use ArcGIS Notebooks to publish imagery layers to ArcGIS Online.
- Learn how to use the imagery hosting capabilities of ArcGIS Online.
Videos
Review the following Esri-produced videos that clarify and demonstrate concepts, software functionality, and workflows:
- Learn how to create a dynamic imagery layer in ArcGIS Online. (2 minutes)
- Learn how to create a tiled imagery layer in ArcGIS Online. (2 minutes)
- Learn about image enhancement and analysis capabilities available with tiled imagery layers. (3 minutes)
- Learn how credits are used for storage. (1 minute)
Training and tutorials
Review the following guided lessons and tutorials based on real-world problems and key ArcGIS skills:
- Follow the Use imagery in ArcGIS Online tutorial series to learn how to host and stream imagery in the cloud in a learning path format.
Developer resources
Review the following resources and support for automating and customizing workflows:
- Use ArcGIS API for Python to create imagery layers using copy raster and create image collection (which you can then use for raster analysis).
- Use ArcGIS API for JavaScript to find code samples for working with ImageryLayer, ImageryTileLayer, and WCSLayer.
Esri Community
Use the online imagery community to connect, collaborate, and share experiences:
- Visit the Esri Imagery in ArcGIS Online community.