Skynopy, Wildfires and Natural Disasters: What If the Real Problem Was the Delay in Satellite Data?

Having satellite imagery is good. Having it on time can save lives.

Each summer, wildfires strike harder, earlier, and more frequently. They demand faster responses. In the face of increasingly extreme natural disasters, satellite data has become a critical asset — helping to identify high-risk areas, anticipate events, monitor fire propagation, and coordinate emergency responses. But most of this satellite data remains out of reach when it matters most — not because it isn’t collected, but because it can’t be downloaded fast enough. The missing link? Ground infrastructure that simply hasn’t kept pace with the needs of the NewSpace era.

Still dominated by legacy providers, the ground segment remains rigid, expensive, and technically complex — resulting in long transmission delays that significantly undermine the operational value of space-based data, especially in times of crisis.

Skynopy wants to change that. The French NewSpace startup is building a new-generation global network of ground stations capable of downloading satellite imagery in under 20 minutes — a game-changer for emergency services, public authorities, and disaster management teams.

Skynopy already operates a dozen satellites for customers such as Prométhée, CNES, and Hemeria, leveraging a rapidly expanding network of over 15 ground stations deployed in less than a year. This includes strategic partnerships (with AWS, Kinéis) and proprietary antennas.

Pierre Bertrand, co-founder and CEO of Skynopy, explained “Our solution reduces revisit time and increases the volume of data transmitted so that every image captured from space becomes usable on Earth — at the right time.”

Pierre Bertrand is available for interviews on this issue. Would you like to speak with him?

How does it work?

Skynopy simplifies access to satellite data the same way the cloud simplified access to servers. Thanks to its high-throughput network deployed in record time, satellite operators can download their data and command their satellites as easily as using a smartphone.

Its hybrid model (strategic partnerships + proprietary antennas), combined with advanced software orchestration, enables:

• A revisit time of less than 20 minutes,

• Double the volume of data transmitted per satellite pass,

• A 50% reduction in costs.

Source: Edifice Communication