Google Earth Adds Site Analysis Tools for Land Evaluation
Google Earth has recently expanded its capabilities to include site analysis tools that can help users evaluate land before committing capital. The new features, which are available on both the web and Android devices, allow users to analyze terrain, detect changes over time, and access contextual data layers.
The Detect Change tool uses AI to show where a site has changed between two annual comparison years between 2017 and 2025. It can generate a layer for an area of up to 200 km² (50,000 acres) at 10-meter resolution, flagging areas affected by urban development, environmental or agricultural change, soil moisture, flooding, biomass shifts, and other surface changes.
Google Earth's site analysis tools also include elevation contours, slope, and aspect. The terrain tools can help users assess the physical characteristics of a site, including its rise and fall, steepness, orientation, and potential for drainage or snowmelt.
The availability of these catalog layers varies by Google Earth plan and geographic coverage. Standard plan users receive access with monthly limits on tool-generated layers, while Professional plans expand usage and capabilities for larger sites or heavier analysis loads.