March 12, 2026
Eyes in the skies, drama in the replies
Show HN: Detect any object in satellite imagery using a text prompt
Space “find-anything” demo sparks copycat cries, treasure hunts, and solar sleuths
TLDR: A no-login demo lets you type simple words to spot things like cars and bridges in satellite photos, teasing a paid global version. The thread erupts with copycat accusations, dupe callouts, and playful ideas—from rooftop solar surveys to gold hunts—showing big excitement and bigger debates over originality and utility.
Type “vehicles” and watch cars light up from space—this free, no-login demo lets anyone pan around a single high‑res map and see AI tag objects like bridges and storage tanks in real time. It’s a teaser for a paid platform with global coverage, exports, and project tools, but the community didn’t wait for the sales pitch—they went straight for the drama.
First punch: the dupe police showed up with a link to an earlier post, while another commenter fired the clone flare—“did you just make Danti?” Translation for non‑nerds: is this just a copy of an existing satellite‑AI app? Meanwhile, a builder hijacked the spotlight with a YouTube demo of their own tool, stoking that classic Show HN energy: invention, accusation, and self‑promo all at once.
But beyond the squabble, the crowd’s imagination went wild. One user wanted to scan rooftops for solar panels to see adoption in their neighborhood; another went full prospector, joking about finding gold from orbit. The vibe: half practical, half meme, 100% intrigued. Whether it’s a bold new gadget or a familiar trick with fresh polish, people are craving “type it, spot it” superpowers—and having a blast arguing about who did it first, what it’s good for, and whether it can help them strike literal gold.
Key Points
- •A public demo showcases real-time object detection in satellite imagery driven by text prompts.
- •Users can search for assets like vehicles, storage tanks, and bridges using vision-language models.
- •The demo highlights a cloud-based inference engine optimized for speed and precision.
- •The demo area is limited but illustrates use cases in satellite logistics analysis and urban monitoring.
- •Upgrading to the full platform adds global mapping, multi-layer GeoJSON exports, and project management via a dashboard.