Seeing Changes with View and Compare Modes

Lens has two "modes," or ways of exploring satellite data layers: View and Compare. 

View mode allows you to view imagery or data layers for a single date. Using the high-resolution image below as an example, say that you notice something different about the cluster of buildings from what you've seen in past years: 

Compare mode enables you to see how an area of interest has changed from one date to another. You can select two dates on the top bar and drag the slider across the images to see areas where changes might have occurred. Given the above example, you can dig deeper into precisely when a new building was added using Compare mode.

And when you notice a change worth documenting, whether it's a new building, timber harvest, or something else, you can make a note to capture your observation. If you’re in Compare mode, the note will include both of the associated images for the two time periods.

Finally, when you generate a report, the imagery for both of those dates will show up in your report, as shown below.