5 Reasons MrSID Is Better Than JPEG2000 for Satellite and Drone Data

Apr 21
3 min read

Updated: May 2

The volume of satellite imagery will continue to rise; therefore, making the right choices on which compression/formatter is most appropriate for performance, storage efficiency, and user experience becomes increasingly important.

In the context of these growing volumes of image data, the two commonly used compression/formatting standards in geospatial workflows are MrSID (Multi-Resolution Seamless Image Database) and JPEG2000. Both formats provide advanced capabilities for compressing large image datasets; however, MrSID has many practical advantages over JPEG2000 for large geometric data applications.

This article outlines five reasons why MrSID will provide better performance than JPEG2000 for satellite imagery and drone imagery, particularly with regard to web delivery, GIS integration, and scalable image management.

Multi-resolution Performance (better than JPEG2000)

MrSID was designed and purpose-built for geospatial imagery with multi-Resolution data access in mind, allowing end users to easily access multiple zoom levels without needing to access the complete dataset.

While both MrSID and JPEG2000 provide compression capabilities that support multi-resolution image accessibility, JPEG2000 imposes a heavier computational burden (and may consume more bandwidth) than MrSID when streaming image data over the internet. Using MrSID to stream only those portions of an image required for display reduces:

Time required to zoom/pan
Bandwidth used
Performance when using GIS applications.

This responsiveness is critical for large satellite mosaics and drone surveys.

Optimized to Handle Large Raster Datasets

Both satellite and drone image files can be significantly large. For example, satellite images (particularly from many satellites) can reach gigabytes in size or even terabytes in some cases. The way MrSID can effectively manage large raster datasets is as follows:

Allows for extremely high compression ratios (without significant loss of visual quality).
Provides for an efficient means of managing storage space.
Requires less disk space and provides the ability to store more data.

While JPEG2000 also yields high rates of compression, MrSID is frequently more optimized for handling large geospatial raster datasets and is therefore the preferred format for Enterprise-level Mapping Systems.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZqV1pQRLUs

5 Reasons MrSID Is Better Than JPEG2000

Faster Decoding and Rendering

Another critical consideration when employing high-resolution images is speed. Generally, MrSID delivers significantly faster decoding times than JPEG2000, with even greater differences in speed when real-time applications are involved, such as:

Web-based map viewers.
Drone data analysis platforms.
Remote sensing dashboards.

Faster decoding time provides a more enjoyable user experience when utilizing large raster datasets over the web.

Improved Interoperability with GIS Systems

MrSID has been a core component of numerous GIS and Remote Sensing systems for many years. Additionally, it is compatible and performs optimally with:

Spatial Data Infrastructures (SDIs)
Mapping Servers
Desktop GIS Software

Further, MrSID efficiently manages and georeferences metadata, ensuring that spatial accuracy is maintained throughout the workflow.

Conversely, JPEG2000 may require additional configuration/processing for geospatial metadata.

Efficient Streaming for Web Applications

One of the key differentiators of MrSID is its ability to continually stream imagery. This is especially advantageous within today’s web-based platforms, where consumers demand immediate access to vast amounts of data.

The key benefits include:

Progressively Loading Images
Decreased Latency for Remote Users
Reduced Server Load

Web-Based Platforms Such As GeoWGS84.ai, Where the Need To Deliver Satellite and Drone Imagery Efficiently Is Critical, Have A Significant Competitive Advantage Using MrSID Relative To Their Use Of JPEG2000.

Your specific use case will dictate whether you choose to use MrSID or JPEG2000; however, when considering satellite and drone datasets, MrSID is often preferred because: