TL;DR: Get started in 5 minutes: 1) Sign up free, 2) Draw a bounding box on the map, 3) Search satellite imagery (Sentinel-1/2/VIIRS), 4) Upload your data or add reference layers, 5) Manage and compare layers, 6) Customize settings. No GIS experience needed.
Getting Started Guide
Learn how to use Off-Nadir Delta to explore satellite imagery in just a few minutes. This step-by-step guide will walk you through everything you need to know.
No prior experience with GIS or satellite data is required. Follow these steps and you will be viewing satellite imagery of any location on Earth in no time.
Create Your Free Account
Sign up in seconds to start exploring satellite imagery. No credit card required.
- Click "Get Started" on the homepage
- Enter your email and create a password
- Verify your email to activate your account
- You will receive free tokens to start exploring right away
Tip: Your free tokens are enough to explore several locations and learn the platform.
Navigate & Draw a Search Area
Find your area of interest and define a bounding box for satellite search.
- Click and drag to pan the map; scroll to zoom in/out
- Use the search bar at the top to jump to any location by name
- Click the Bounding Box icon (right-side controls) to draw a rectangle
- Drag on the map to define your search area, then save it
Tip: Zoom to level 10-12 before drawing your bounding box for the best search results.
Search for Satellite Imagery
Open the Satellite Images panel and find data for your area.
- Click the Satellite icon in the sidebar to open the panel
- Choose a source: Sentinel-1 (SAR), Sentinel-2 (Optical), or VIIRS (Nighttime Lights)
- Set a date range and adjust filters (e.g. cloud cover for optical)
- Click "Search" — results appear as footprints on the map
- Click any result to preview, then "Add to Map" to display the imagery
Tip: Sentinel-1 SAR sees through clouds and works at night. Sentinel-2 optical offers higher visual detail but needs clear skies.
Upload Data & Reference Layers
Bring your own data or add contextual layers from built-in datasets.
- Click the Data Loader icon in the sidebar
- Drag-and-drop GeoJSON, GeoTIFF, or KML files to upload
- Browse Reference Data for pre-built layers (power grids, pipelines, telecom, etc.)
- All uploaded and reference layers appear in the Layer Manager
Tip: Overlay reference data on top of satellite imagery for deeper contextual analysis.
Manage & Compare Layers
Organize all your layers and compare satellite images from different dates.
- Open the Layer Manager from the sidebar to see all active layers
- Drag layers to reorder them on the map
- Adjust opacity with the slider for side-by-side comparison
- Toggle visibility on/off, rename, or remove layers as needed
- Stack images from different dates to detect changes over time
Tip: For seasonal monitoring, compare images from the same month in different years.
Tokens & Settings
Monitor your usage and customize the workspace.
- Tokens are consumed when loading satellite imagery tiles on the map
- Check your token balance in the header or Settings panel
- Switch between dark and light base maps in Settings
- Change the interface language and manage your account preferences
Tip: Start at lower zoom levels to preview an area before zooming in — this saves tokens.
Quick Reference
Sentinel-1 (SAR)
- • Works day and night
- • Sees through clouds and smoke
- • Best for: floods, disasters, ice monitoring
- • Grayscale imagery
Sentinel-2 (Optical)
- • Requires clear skies
- • Natural color and false color options
- • Best for: vegetation, agriculture, urban
- • 10 m resolution
VIIRS (Nighttime Lights)
- • Captures light emissions at night
- • Daily global coverage
- • Best for: urbanization, power outages, economic activity
- • 375 m resolution
Ready to explore?
Create your free account and start viewing satellite imagery today.
Get Started Free