Internet giants Google have announced plans to buy the satellite-imaging company Skybox in order to improve its mapping services.
Skybox, which was only started back in 2009 as part of a Stanford graduate entrepreneurship course, said that the company’s aim was to “revolutionise access to information about the changes happening across the surface of the Earth.”
“We’ve built and launched the world’s smallest high-resolution imaging satellite, which collects beautiful and useful images and video every day. The time is right to join a company who can challenge us to think even bigger and bolder, and who can support us in accelerating our ambitious vision,” the company added.
Speaking about the announcement, Google said: “We’ve agreed to acquire Skybox Imaging, and we look forward to welcoming them to Google.
“Their satellites will help keep our maps accurate with up-to-date imagery.
“Over time, we also hope that Skybox’s team and technology will be able to help improve Internet access and disaster relief – areas Google has long been interested in,” the company added.
