Processing Units
Processing units (PUs) are the metric used to measure compute resource consumption on Planet Insights Platform. Whenever you make an API request — whether it is for fetching satellite imagery, performing statistical analysis, or streaming imagery — PUs are used based on the complexity of the request.
Key factors influencing the number of PUs consumed include the area of interest, spatial resolution, number of spectral bands, and the type of data requested. For example, higher resolution imagery or requests involving multiple spectral bands will consume more PUs. Understanding how PUs are calculated will help you manage usage, optimize workflows, and estimate costs effectively.
Types of Processing Units
There are two categories of processing units:
- Monthly processing units - These are the processing units which are included in your plan and are reset on the first day of a month. Unused processing units and requests are not carried over to the next month. If you run out of processing units or requests before the end of the month, you can purchase top-up processing units.
- Top-up processing units - These are one-time processing units which are not recurring and allow for you to access larger volumes of processing for large, one-time usage spikes. For example, if you need to do a large analysis of historical data only once, or if your usage was particularly large one month and you need to continue operating without going to the next tier.
Monitoring Usage
You can monitor your usage of processing units from the dashboard application.
You can also see how many processing units are consumed in your requests by inspecting the response headers. We return the number of processing units consumed for a request as x-processunits. You can submit a few requests and use them to estimate processing units that would be consumed by scaling a workflow up to large areas.
Calculating Processing Units
Costs marked with ** are not yet applied, they will come into effect in the future.
General Data Processing - Process API, OGC API, Statistical API
Each request costs a proportional amount of processing unit(s), depending on what data and processing is requested. One processing unit (PU) is defined as a request for:
- an output (image) size of 512 x 512 pixels
- 3 collection input bands
- one data
sampleper pixel (see sample) - an output (image) format not exceeding 16 bits per pixel
- without additional processing (For example, orthorectification) applied
In addition:
- Minimal cost of a request is:
- 0.005 PU for Process API and OGC API.
- 0.01 PU for Statistical API.
- The number of remaining processing units is reduced only when a request successfully executes. For example, when the response code is
2XX.
Multiplication factors are used to calculate how many processing units are required for each request. The definition of 1 processing unit and the calculation rules are summarized in the following tables:
| Parameter | Quantity for 1 PU | Rules for multiplication factors |
|---|---|---|
| Area of interest | 512 x 512 px | The multiplication factor is calculated by dividing requested input size (BBOX) by 512 x 512 (pixel size depends on the user-defined resolution of the request execution). The minimum value of this multiplication factor is 0.01. This corresponds to an area of 0.25 sq km for Sentinel-2 data at 10 m spatial resolution. |
| Number of input bands | 3 | The multiplication factor is calculated by dividing the requested number of input bands by 3. An exception is requesting dataMask which is not counted, unless it is the only band included. |
| Output format | 8 bit or 16 bit TIFF/JPG/PNG | Requesting 32 bit float TIFF will result in a multiplication factor of 2 due to larger memory consumption and data traffic. Requesting application/octet-stream will result in a multiplication factor of 1.4 due to additional integration costs (This is used for integration with external tools such as xcube.). |
| Number of data samples | 1 | The multiplication factor equals the number of data samples per pixel. |
| Data fusion | N/A | The multiplication is only applied when data fusion is used. Multiplication factor is calculated as a sum of all collections within the same endpoint location and twice the sum of all remote collections. For example, count(local_collections) + 2x count(remote_collections).Example: data fusion request executed on services.sentinel-hub.com endpoint, which includes Sentinel-2 L1C, Sentinel-2 L2A and Landsat-9 would have a multiplication factor of 4 (1 + 1 + 2). |
Surcharges
Surcharges are used for non-standard requests, which impact on the execution costs.
| Surcharge | Rules for calculation |
|---|---|
| ** Evalscript execution time | Execution of evalscript with duration shorter than 200ms, is covered within the base request. Execution of complex evalscripts For example, neural networks, large decision trees, etc.) with duration longer than 200ms there is a surcharge of 0.5 PU per each additional started 100ms interval. |
Sentinel-1 data processing
In addition to general data processing rules defined above, the following optional multiplicators apply as well:
| Parameter | Rules for multiplication factors |
|---|---|
| Orthorectification | Requesting orthorectification will result in a multiplication factor of 2 due to additional processing requirements. |
| Radiometric Terrain Correction | Requesting radiometric terrain correction will result in a multiplication factor of 2.5 due to additional processing requirements. The orthorectification factor is not additionally applied as it is a prerequisite. |
| Speckle Filtering | Requesting speckle filtering will result in a multiplication factor of 2 due to additional processing requirements. |
Data Ordering and Delivery - Applicable to Orders API and Subscriptions API**
- Each image requested costs 20 PUs. If an image covers multiple of your areas of interest, then it is activated only once within a 24-hour time window. For example, if you have numerous small agriculture fields which are close to each other and therefore covered by one satellite image.
- Using the clip tool costs 1 PU per data asset.
- Each tool used, per data asset, costs 2 PUs. Applies to the following tools: Band Math, Composite, Coregister, Harmonization, Reproject, Tile, TOAR. To learn more, see documentation for Orders API and Subscriptions API.
- Egress off the platform (i.e. downloaded or delivered to your cloud) is charged per byte, at a rate of 200 PUs per GB.
Catalog API, OGC WFS
Each request costs a proportional amount of processing unit(s) depending on what data and processing is requested. One processing unit (PU) is defined as a request for:
- area of 1000 x 1000 km
- time period up to one month
In addition:
- Minimal cost of a request is 0.01 PU.
- Maximal cost of a request is 1 PU.
- The number of remaining processing units is reduced only when a request successfully executes. For example, when the response code is 2XX.
| Parameter | Quantity for 1 PU | Rules for multiplication factors |
|---|---|---|
| Area of interest | 1 000 000 sq km | The multiplication factor is calculated by dividing requested input area of interest (BBOX) by 1 000 000. The minimum value of this multiplication factor is 0.01. This corresponds to an area of 10 000 sq km |
| Time period | 1 month | The multiplication factor is calculated by ceiling requested time period in months. |
Batch Processing API
"General data processing" and "Sentinel-1 data processing" rules apply with the following exceptions:
- Minimal cost of a request is 100 PU.
- When using Batch Processing API, a multiplication factor of 1/3 will be applied to all tiles with a size of at least 10,000 px. Thus, up to three times more data can be processed compared to the Processing API for the same amount of PUs. If the tiling grid contains tiles smaller than 10,000 px, these tiles will be charged at the regular rate (no multiplication factor).
- ** When data is delivered to a bucket in other region within the same system (i.e. Copernicus Data Space Ecosystem, AWS) there is additional cost of 0.03 PU per MB of data.
BatchV2 Processing API
"General data processing" and "Sentinel-1 data processing" rules apply with the following exceptions:
- Minimal cost of a request is 100 PU.
- Processing with batch processing API will result in a multiplication factor of 1/3 (only applies if processed tiles are bigger than 10.000 px). Thus, three times more data can be processed comparing to process API for the same amount of PUs.
- ** When data is delivered to a bucket in other region within the same system (For example, Copernicus Data Space Ecosystem, AWS) there is additional cost of 0.03 PU per MB of transferred data.
Asynchronous Processing API
"General data processing" and "Sentinel-1 data processing" rules apply with the following exceptions:
- Minimal cost of a request is 10 PU.
- When using Asynchronous Processing API, a multiplication factor of 2/3 will be applied to all requests with an area of at least 10,000 px. Thus, up to 1.5 times more data can be processed compared to the Processing API for the same amount of PUs. If the request defines an area smaller than 10,000 px, this request will be charged at the regular rate (no multiplication factor).
- When data is delivered to a bucket in other region within the same system (For example, Copernicus Data Space Ecosystem, AWS) there is an additional cost of 0.03 PU per MB of data.
Batch Statistical API
"General data processing" and "Sentinel-1 data processing" rules apply with the following exceptions:
- Minimal cost of a request is 100 PU.
- ** When data is delivered to a bucket in other region within the same system (For example, Copernicus Data Space Ecosystem, AWS) there is an additional cost of 0.03 PU per MB of data.
Bring Your Own COG API and Zarr API
- Each non-GET request to BYOC or Zarr API costs 1 PU.
- Usage of your BYOC and Zarr collections is billed the same as usage of public collections.
Example calculations
PlanetScope vegetation index statistics
An example calculation of processing units for calculating vegeation index statistics with PlanetScope for agriculture fields.
| Parameter | Quantity | Multiplication factor | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Output size (width x height) | 424 x 424 px | x ~0.68 | The output size for 3 meter spatial resolution is 424 x 424 px for 400 acres, which is ~68% of the area of a 512 x 512 px image. |
| Number of input bands | 5 | x 5/3 | 5 spectral bands are used to calculate several indices in one evalscript: Red, Near Infrared, Green, Red Edge, and Yellow |
| Number of data samples | 365 days * 2 years | x 730 | Estimate of 1 image per day for PlanetScope, though some days might be missing, it will provide an upper bound. |
| Total | 827.33 processing units | To calculate the number of processing units for this request multiply all the individual multiplication factors: 730 x 5/3 x 0.68 = 827.33 |
Sentinel-1 Change Detection
An example of calculation of processing units for a Sentinel-1 change detection request (e.g. comparison of two time slices) is presented in the table below.
| Parameter | Quantity | Multiplication factor | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Output size (width x height) | 1024 x 1024 px | x 4 | The requested output size is 1024 x 1024 px which is 4 times larger than the output size for one PU (512 x 512 px). Hence the multiplication factor is 4. |
| Number of input bands | 4 | x 4/3 | 4 input bands are requested, which is 4/3 times more than 3 input bands, which are included in one PU. The multiplication factor is thus 4/3. |
| Output format | 32-bit float | x 2 | The requested 32 bit float TIFF has a multiplication factor of 2. |
| Number of data samples | 2 | x 2 | 2 data samples (one for each time slice) were requested for each pixel. Thus the multiplication factor is 2. |
| Orthorectification | Yes | x 2 | Ortorectification is requested, which results in a multiplication factor of 2. |
| Total | 42.667 processing units | To calculate the number of processing units for this request multiply all the individual multiplication factors: 4 x 4/3 x 2 x 2 x 2 = 42.667 |
Statistical API is also a multi-temporal request. The same rules for calculating multiplication factors apply.
NDVI calculation for a parcel
An example of calculation of processing units of NDVI value over a 4 hectare large parcel at 10 m spatial resolution is presented in the table below.
| Parameter | Quantity | Multiplication factor | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Output size (width x height) | 20 x 20 px | x 0.01 | The requested output size is 20 x 20 px which is smaller than the minimum area, thus the multiplication factor is 0.01. |
| Number of input bands | 2 | x 2/3 | 2 input bands are requested, thus the multiplication factor is 2/3. |
| Output format | 16-bit tiff | x 1 | The same as in the definition of one processing unit, thus the multiplication factor is 1. |
| Number of data samples | 1 | x 1 | The same as in the definition of one processing unit, thus the multiplication factor is 1. |
| Orthorectification | No | x 1 | The same as in the definition of one processing unit, thus the multiplication factor is 1. |
| Total | 0.0067 processing units | To calculate the number of processing units for this request multiply all the individual multiplication factors: 0.01 x 2/3 x 1 x 1 = 0.0067 |