Planetary-Scale Satellite Imagery, At Your Fingertips
Google Earth Engine puts a multi-petabyte archive of satellite imagery (Landsat, Sentinel, MODIS, and more) and Google's own cloud computing power behind your analysis. It remains free for academic and research use, even as Earth Engine has opened up to commercial customers.
What Google Earth Engine Does
Earth Engine gives you direct access to decades of satellite and remote sensing imagery, plus the computational power to analyze it at scale, without downloading a single file to your own machine. Detect land cover change over 30 years, monitor deforestation, or track urban growth across an entire state — all processed on Google's infrastructure rather than your laptop.
Software Benefits
Decades of Imagery, Ready to Query
Earth Engine's catalog spans major satellite programs: Landsat, Sentinel, MODIS, and dozens more. So you're rarely starting from scratch on a global or historical dataset.
Cloud Processing, No Local Hardware Limits
Analysis runs on Google's own hardware, so processing that would grind a personal laptop to a halt (multi-decade time series, continental-scale queries) runs in a fraction of the time.
Code Editor and Python API
Work in Earth Engine's browser-based Code Editor for interactive analysis, or use the Python API to fold Earth Engine into a larger research workflow.
Getting Access Takes a Short Setup Process
Google Earth Engine isn't connected to your UMN Internet ID. It runs through your own Google account, and access now goes through Google Cloud rather than a simple sign-up form.
Steps
- Sign up for Earth Engine with a Google account. Using your UMN email can help verify your academic status.
- Create a Google Cloud project, which serves as your access point for all Earth Engine analysis.
- Enable the Earth Engine API within that project.
- Register your project for noncommercial use to confirm it qualifies for free academic access.
Noncommercial academic access covers research and teaching, but not fee-for-service work performed on behalf of a commercial or government entity. If you're unsure whether your project qualifies, the Help Desk can help you think it through.
Documentation & learning resources
Training opportunities
Find workshops and tutorials designed to help you build, share and manage spatial data.
External & Vendor Training
Hosted outside of the UMNGoogle Earth Engine: Self-paced Tutorial Series
These tutorials are an introduction to using the Earth Engine JavaScript API for advanced geospatial analysis.
Google Earth Engine: Video Tutorial Series
Video tutorials from lectures & training conducted at Earth Engine User Summits and Earth Outreach digital events.
Mastering Google Earth Engine: From Basic to Advanced
How to use Google Earth Engine for geospatial and remote sensing analysis in an easy and simple way
Google Earth Engine FAQs
Quick answers to what people ask us most about getting started.
Do I need a .edu email to use Earth Engine?
It helps, but the requirements have changed.
Google no longer requires a .edu address specifically, but using your UMN email can help verify your academic affiliation when you register your project for noncommercial use. What matters most is that your project qualifies as academic research or teaching.
Is Earth Engine still free?
Yes, for academic and research use.
Earth Engine is now available as a paid commercial product, but it remains free of charge for students, faculty, and staff at academic institutions using it for research or teaching. You'll need to register your project specifically as noncommercial to access the free tier.
What's a Google Cloud project, and why do I need one?
It's your access point for Earth Engine.
As of Google's current sign-up process, every Earth Engine user needs a Google Cloud project, even for free academic use. It's a one-time setup step, not a separate cost. Once it's created and registered for noncommercial use, you're ready to run analysis.
Can I use Earth Engine for paid consulting or grant-funded contract work?
Only if it's registered for commercial use.
The free academic tier excludes fee-for-service work performed on behalf of a commercial or government entity. If your project involves that kind of paid deliverable, it likely needs a commercial Earth Engine account rather than the free noncommercial tier — talk to the Help Desk if you're unsure.
Do I need any coding experience?
It’s helpful, but not always necessary.
Earth Engine's Code Editor uses JavaScript, and there's also a Python API for those who prefer it. Some prior scripting experience makes the learning curve gentler, but Google's tutorials are built for newcomers too.
Free for Academic and Research Use
What It Costs
Google Earth Engine is free for University of Minnesota students, faculty, and staff using it for academic research or teaching, once a Google Cloud project is registered for noncommercial use.
Noncommercial access covers research and teaching, but not fee-for-service work performed on behalf of a commercial or government entity.
Costs for Commercial Use
Earth Engine is available as a paid commercial product for businesses, government agencies, and any project that falls outside noncommercial academic use. See Google's Earth Engine pricing page for up-to-date commercial rates.
Ready to Start Analyzing Satellite Data?
Sign up, register your project for noncommercial use, and you'll have planetary-scale imagery at your fingertips.