ImageSat International (ISI) has announced a new real-time movement-tracking capability delivered through its RUNNER satellite, positioning the system as the first orbital platform able to provide live dynamic intelligence rather than static imagery. The company says the service marks a major shift in how defence, urban management, infrastructure operators and disaster-response organisations can access and use satellite data.
RUNNER has been operating for more than three years and is built around an embedded AI architecture that conducts onboard analysis before transmitting results. By processing movement patterns and in-scene dynamics directly on the satellite, the system produces compressed symbology rather than full imagery, enabling rapid distribution into existing operational networks. ISI says this allows space-based agents to function as active participants in warfighter and mission-support systems.
The satellite features a multi-sensor design, stabilised imaging hardware and eight onboard GPU processors. It provides sub-metre true-colour video, night-time monitoring and through-cloud observation, alongside automated mapping, classification and movement-type analysis. According to ISI, these capabilities return high-level insights within seconds, improving situational awareness in operations where timing is critical.
ISI’s intelligence output is enhanced by its proprietary, decades-long data archive, which the company says is continuously refined with generative AI models trained exclusively on its internal datasets. This enables automated contextualisation of new observations, producing analyst-ready intelligence tailored to operational scenarios.
Chief executive Noam Segal said RUNNER expands the role of satellite systems from image providers to real-time intelligence sources. He said the new capability is designed to give analysts and operators immediate access to movement-tracking data and embedded AI support, improving decision-making across defence and civilian applications.RUNNER’s introduction comes amid growing demand for low-latency space-based intelligence as governments and commercial sectors seek faster, more contextual information for operations, planning and emergency response.
