Comment by ricardobeat
18 hours ago
Are most of their currently operating satellites servicing Flock - the US surveillance company? Or is it just a naming accident?
18 hours ago
Are most of their currently operating satellites servicing Flock - the US surveillance company? Or is it just a naming accident?
Flock is Planet Labs name for the mega-constellation of imaging satellites made up of 3U cubesats known as Doves- hence the name for the full constellation. It has nothing to do with the automated license plate reader company.
Their satellites have nothing to do with the street-level surveillance camera firm.
The latter I would think. I can see how you can confuse the two. The reason I think otherwise is because you don't name the satellite after one client, especially if you're in the business of selling images/data, not satellites. And a flock of satellites make sense for a name.
I don't think it's an accident. Flock != Flock Safety
It completely is. Planet names all their constellations after birds (Dove, Pelican, Tanager, Owl - SkySat was an acquisition, so not their naming convention) so they describe their constellations as Flocks. Nothing to do with the other company.