Vexcel says it plans to capture more than 6.6 million square kilometres of high-resolution aerial imagery worldwide in 2026.

The company uses a fleet of fixed-wing aircraft equipped with UltraCam sensors to capture imagery across cities, rural areas and major metropolitan regions.

Vexcel says it data collection program delivers higher-resolution imagery than satellite systems and covers a broader geographic scale than drones.

The company also says its data provides a powerful base for AI systems, such as its recently launched Vexcel Intelligence platform.

“AI models are only as good as the data they’re trained on,” said Rob Agee, Chief Operating Officer of Vexcel.

“To understand the real world, AI needs access to aerial imagery that is large-scale, consistent in specifications, regularly updated and accurate.

“Our 2026 collection program expands and refreshes imagery across cities and rural areas worldwide, delivering the quality and scale our customers depend on.”

Australasian coverage

For Vexcel, the USA remains its largest collection area, with nearly 5.2 million square kilometres already in progress for 2026 at 7.5cm to 15cm resolution.

This year, the company also plans to target nearly 1 million square kilometres across Europe and nearly 500,000 square kilometres in other regions worldwide.

That includes parts of Asia, South America, Africa and Oceania, where collection will focus primarily on major cities and metropolitan areas at 7.5cm resolution.

This can be seen in the maps below, which show that the areas covered in Australia and New Zealand are mainly restricted to the capital cities, plus a handful of rural centres.