ArcGIS for Microsoft Planetary Computer (AMPC) is an app from Esri that brings hundreds of ready-to-use analysis tools from ArcGIS to petabytes worth of data on the Microsoft Planetary Computer (MPC), where you can observe, analyze, and monitor the planet. It provides direct access to the Microsoft Planetary Computer Data Catalog within the ArcGIS Pro interface so you can immediately start analyzing petabytes of data.
The Microsoft Planetary Computer Data Catalog includes imagery, raster, and environmental monitoring data in consistent, analysis-ready formats. The catalog includes commonly used imagery, DEMs, and a large number of derived and observed environmental data sets.
Data on MPC is stored in Microsoft Azure Blob Storage containers and is cataloged using the SpatioTemporal Asset Catalog (STAC) specifications. ArcGIS supports STAC interfaces and ArcPy APIs that allow you to search and discover MPC data sets by location, time, and metadata.
Image processing and remote sensing analysis using AMPC
The AMPC provides advanced ArcGIS image processing and analysis capabilities hosted on a virtual machine located with the MPC data repository. This close proximity delivers image processing and analysis results efficiently and effectively. You can browse, access, process, and manage petabytes of imagery and raster data, obtain results quickly, and share results using the ArcGIS unified interface.
ArcGIS Pro provides capabilities for visualizing, managing, processing, and analyzing imagery and raster data. Functionality includes spatial and radiometric image correction, calibration, normalization, enhancement, conversion, and analysis.
The image processing capabilities are extended in the more advanced remote sensing and image analysis capabilities of the ArcGIS Image Analyst extension. Image Analyst capabilities include change detection and analysis, deep learning analysis, object-oriented and traditional classification, trend analysis, multidimensional scientific analysis, Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), image processing and analysis, and more.
You can access these capabilities using geoprocessing tools, dynamic raster functions that display analytical results in real time as you pan and zoom imagery, analytical graphs, guided workflows, and intuitive graphical interfaces.
Image processing chains can be built, tested, and implemented using ModelBuilder and raster Function Editor using menus and dialog box interfaces in ArcGIS Pro. You can also create Python scripts using ArcPy.
ArcPy and GitHub
Automate and share your workflows for efficiency and consistency using ArcPy. ArcPy provides access to geoprocessing tools, functions, classes, and modules that allow you to create simple or complex workflows. It provides a native Python experience and reference documentation for each function, module, and class.
Developers can collaborate through the AMPC GitHub site.
Get started
The prerequisites for AMPC are a license for ArcGIS Pro 3.1 and a license for the ArcGIS Image Analyst extension.
The general steps to get started using AMPC to process cataloged imagery are as follows:
- Obtain a Microsoft Azure account.
- Follow the steps in Configure ArcGIS for Microsoft Planetary Computer.
- Start working with data on MPC through the ArcGIS Pro user interface or Python.
See Frequently asked questions for more information about AMPC