U.S. could lift commercial satellite imagery restrictions

Federal Times: U.S.-based commercial satellite imagery providers could get a break from the government soon if a bid to pull back federal controls on image resolution comes to fruition.

Director of National Intelligence James Clapper said April 15 that laws limiting the pixel resolution of satellite images have been reviewed, and that officials at intelligence agencies are endorsing reduced restrictions. Lifting the ban would allow U.S. companies to sell higher-resolution imagery than they currently are allowed – which would improve competition with overseas companies, according to some.

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