• MONITOR
  • ANALYZE
  • VISUALIZE
  • HUMAN

How to monitor land cover changes with your AI

Connect Planet Labs to your AI client to turn satellite data into environmental intelligence. Once connected, your agent handles the searching and data retrieval for you.

Ask AI about this page

Short answer

How can I track land cover changes using my AI?

Your AI uses Planet Labs to set up automated searches for specific areas and pulls the resulting imagery or statistics. You get a clear view of how terrain or site footprints evolve through periodic data snapshots.

The outcomes

Where your data lands

The AI processes satellite data into these specific results.

MONITOR

Automated area tracking

The AI sets up recurring searches for specific coordinates. You receive updates whenever new imagery matches your criteria.

ANALYZE

Change detection

By pulling statistics on image availability, your agent identifies when new data is ready for inspection.

VISUALIZE

Direct imagery access

Your agent pulls the actual search results so you can see physical changes on the ground.

HUMAN

Expert verification

The AI identifies the changes, but you decide if the detected shift requires a field visit or a formal report.

The workflow

What your AI does when the data arrives.

The AI moves from setting up the watch to delivering the evidence.

  1. Define the area

    Your agent defines the specific geographic bounds and parameters you want to watch.

    create_saved_search

  2. Check for updates

    The AI checks how often new imagery is becoming available for your specific search area.

    get_search_statistics

  3. Pull the imagery

    Once new data is detected, the agent fetches the specific imagery files or metadata.

    get_search_results

  4. Summarize shifts

    The agent compares the new results against previous data to highlight changes in land cover.

    get_search_results

Try it

Copy these to start.

Use these prompts to trigger the Planet Labs tools.

Starting points

Replace the bracketed text with your specific coordinates or site names.

Planet Labs Connector

You're all set. Choose your MCP client and follow the setup instructions.

Connector linkhttps://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_CJrh57tPp7WRiBXCwNC971zKspbWwDQ7AcxPf5PM/mcp

Claude Desktop

Follow the steps below to connect in seconds.

  1. 1In Claude Desktop, open Settings → Connectors.
  2. 2Click “Add custom connector” and paste the connector link above as the remote MCP server URL.
  3. 3Click Add and start a new chat — Planet Labs capabilities are ready to use.
Configuration · claude_desktop_config.jsonCopy
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "planet-labs-mcp": {
      "url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_CJrh57tPp7WRiBXCwNC971zKspbWwDQ7AcxPf5PM/mcp"
    }
  }
}
Copy into chat04

  • Create a saved search for the area around [Coordinates] to monitor forest cover.

  • Check the search statistics for my [Search Name] to see if new imagery is available.

  • Get the latest search results for [Site Name] and tell me if the building footprint has changed.

  • Show me the availability statistics for my recent land cover searches in [Region].

  • Claude
  • ChatGPT
  • Cursor
  • VS Code
  • Windsurf
  • Claude Code
  • JetBrains
  • Cline

Start here

Connect Planet Labs once, then ask.

Just click the link to connect. Your credentials stay encrypted and private, and you can immediately start asking your agent for satellite updates.

Connect Planet Labs to your AI

FAQ

How this task behaves

  • 01

    Can the AI automatically download images to my hard drive?

    No. The AI can retrieve search results and imagery data through the tools, but you must manage the actual file downloads on your local machine.

  • 02

    Can my AI change my Planet Labs subscription settings?

    No. The AI can only interact with data through the provided tools; it cannot modify your account billing or subscription levels.

  • 03

    How does the AI know when a new image is available?

    The AI uses the statistics tool to check for new data availability based on your saved searches.

  • 04

    Can I use this to track real-time video?

    No. The tools are designed for satellite imagery and search statistics, not live video streaming.

  • 05

    Does the AI decide which areas are important to watch?

    No. You must define the search parameters and locations; the AI simply executes the searches you request.

  • More questions about Planet Labs? The Connector page answers them. See everything the Planet Labs Connector can do

Connect Planet Labs to Claude, Cursor, ChatGPT & more