Planet Labs (NYSE: PL) stock rises as Pelican-5 and Pelican-6 extend edge-AI capabilities in orbit

Planet Labs PBC (NYSE: PL) saw renewed investor interest on November 28, 2025, following the successful launch of its high-resolution Pelican-5 and Pelican-6 satellites, alongside 36 SuperDove imaging satellites. The San Francisco-based Earth observation firm confirmed that contact had been established with both Pelican satellites shortly after deployment from the SpaceX Transporter-15 rideshare mission at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The satellites are now undergoing commissioning as Planet prepares to scale its AI-enabled imaging infrastructure.

The New York-listed stock closed up 1.54 percent at USD 11.90 on the day, and jumped a further 2.02 percent in after-hours trading to USD 12.14, as investors responded positively to the company’s momentum in satellite fleet expansion and edge analytics.

How is Planet Labs expanding its satellite imaging capabilities with the new Pelicans?

Pelican-5 and Pelican-6 are the latest additions to Planet’s Gen 1 Pelican constellation, a next-generation imaging system built for high revisit rates and very high-resolution data capture. Each satellite is designed to deliver 40 cm-class resolution imagery using six multispectral bands including blue, green, red, red edge, and dual near-infrared channels. These sensors are tailored for cross-sensor continuity and spectral analytics, making the data easier to integrate with historical and third-party datasets.

The American geospatial technology provider noted that Pelican-5 and Pelican-6 will support the delivery of Planet’s 50 cm product line after the commissioning phase is completed. The two new Pelicans will work alongside Pelicans 1 through 4 to accelerate data delivery to customers in sectors such as agriculture, infrastructure, defense, and disaster management.

Importantly, the satellites carry onboard AI capability powered by NVIDIA’s Jetson platform, enabling edge processing of data before transmission. This allows for rapid filtering, compression, and initial analysis of images in orbit, minimizing latency and reducing the burden on downstream ground-based systems.

What role do SuperDoves play in Planet Labs’ data delivery strategy?

In parallel with the Pelican deployment, Planet Labs launched 36 SuperDove satellites as part of its Flock 4H mission. These medium-resolution imaging satellites serve as the backbone of Planet’s PlanetScope offering, which provides daily monitoring of the Earth’s surface at a global scale. While Pelican satellites focus on high-resolution, targeted imaging, the SuperDoves offer consistent broad coverage, making them critical for change detection, crop health monitoring, and environmental tracking.

This dual-constellation strategy allows Planet to offer layered insights, combining daily coverage from SuperDoves with on-demand tasking from Pelicans. Both fleets are operated under a unified tasking system that allows customers to specify requirements through a single interface, optimizing cost and performance.

How are investors reacting to the latest satellite launch and what does it mean for Planet Labs’ valuation?

The launch triggered a modest but meaningful rally in Planet Labs’ share price. Over the past five sessions, the stock has risen 5.87 percent, climbing from USD 11.24 to USD 11.90 by close of trading on November 28. The post-market push past USD 12.14 further signals bullish sentiment following confirmation that contact had been established with both Pelican-5 and Pelican-6.

The company’s market capitalization now stands at approximately USD 366 million, with a 52-week high of USD 16.78 and a low of USD 2.79. Although Planet Labs does not currently post a price-to-earnings ratio or dividend yield, analysts covering the geospatial and aerospace sectors have noted that forward-looking momentum is being driven by product expansion, AI integration, and government contracts.

Some institutional investors are positioning the stock as a long-term play on Earth data-as-a-service. With AI-enhanced edge computing and near-real-time delivery, Planet’s imagery products are increasingly differentiated from traditional Earth observation services, especially for sectors requiring fast turnaround for critical decisions.

What differentiates the Pelican satellites in terms of technical capability?

Pelican satellites represent a significant step forward from the earlier SkySat systems. The Gen 1 Pelican units capture imagery at 50 cm resolution with a swath width of 8 kilometers, while the planned Gen 2 satellites, set for 2026 deployment, will push resolution even further to the 30 cm-class with enhanced optical systems and narrower swaths for finer detail.

Each satellite is capable of revisiting key locations multiple times a day, with geolocation accuracy under 10 meters CE90 when combined with Planet’s ground control points. This capability is particularly useful for security, logistics, and infrastructure clients who need frequent visibility of high-value sites.

Another key differentiator is spectral richness. The multispectral bands are designed not only for visual clarity but also for machine-readable applications, such as vegetation health indices, material classification, and thermal analysis. Coupled with onboard AI, these satellites are able to pre-process large volumes of data, enabling customers to receive insight-ready outputs.

What is Planet Labs’ roadmap for 2026 and how does Pelican fit into it?

Looking ahead, Planet has confirmed its intention to expand the Pelican fleet in 2026 with the launch of Gen 2 satellites that will feature 30 cm-class resolution and greater tasking flexibility. This will allow the company to meet rising demand for premium geospatial analytics from defense, insurance, commodities, and climate risk sectors.

Analysts believe the Gen 2 Pelicans will allow Planet to offer higher-value contracts with clients seeking deeper insights into urban growth, natural disasters, asset monitoring, and cross-border activity. The upcoming fleet is also expected to improve revisit rates and reduce latency through further onboard compute enhancements.

The company is positioning itself to compete not just as a satellite operator but as a full-stack analytics provider, offering insights layered on top of high-resolution imagery. This aligns with broader market trends where customers increasingly prefer insights-as-a-service over raw imagery, particularly in data-intensive domains such as ESG compliance, resource tracking, and supply chain visibility.

What are the longer-term implications of edge AI in orbit for Planet Labs?

The use of NVIDIA Jetson AI modules within the Pelican satellites positions Planet at the intersection of aerospace, machine learning, and cloud analytics. Edge AI allows real-time inference onboard the satellite, reducing bandwidth use and enabling triage of the most relevant imagery for transmission.

This shift is critical in a future where thousands of satellites may be in orbit simultaneously, making bandwidth a precious commodity. Analysts believe that companies able to deploy edge intelligence at scale will have a major advantage, especially as demand surges for taskable, responsive satellite data.

Edge processing also supports faster response times for time-sensitive applications such as natural disaster alerts, traffic monitoring, wildfire tracking, and defense surveillance. For enterprise clients, this translates to more actionable intelligence delivered in minutes rather than hours or days.

With competitors such as Maxar Technologies and Airbus Defence and Space also enhancing their AI capabilities, Planet’s early deployment of onboard analytics could help preserve its leadership in rapid-response geospatial intelligence.

What are the key takeaways from Planet Labs’ satellite deployment and stock action?

• Planet Labs PBC launched Pelican-5, Pelican-6, and 36 SuperDoves via SpaceX’s Transporter-15 mission, reinforcing its AI-powered Earth imaging fleet.

• The new Pelican satellites offer 40 cm-class resolution with onboard edge computing enabled by NVIDIA Jetson, supporting rapid downstream analytics.

• The stock rose 1.54% in regular trading and 2.02% after hours, reflecting positive investor sentiment around the launch and its strategic implications.

• Analysts believe Planet’s integrated tasking platform and backward compatibility with SkySat workflows provide enterprise clients with a seamless upgrade path.

• With Gen 2 Pelican satellites expected in 2026, Planet is doubling down on its edge-AI space architecture, targeting higher-resolution imaging and faster revisit times.

• The launch supports the company’s long-term strategy to deliver real-time geospatial intelligence and monetize Earth observation data as a service.

• Market cap stands at approximately USD 366 million, with the 52-week trading range spanning USD 2.79 to USD 16.78.

• No dividend yield or P/E ratio is currently available, consistent with Planet’s reinvestment-heavy, growth-stage profile.

• Broader sectoral momentum in AI-geospatial fusion and satellite tasking efficiency is helping reinforce Planet Labs’ differentiated market position.

• Future investor attention will likely focus on revenue recognition from the Pelican fleet and continued AI integrations.