What is a satellite draw-verification report?
TL;DR — A satellite draw-verification report is an independent evidence document comparing dated commercial satellite captures of one parcel against the progress a borrower claims in a draw request. Private construction lenders and fund-control officers use it to screen a draw in 24–48 hours without sending anyone to site. It confirms externally visible work only — not interiors, workmanship, permits, or lien status.
Last updated: 25 August 2026 · By FOUNDER_NAME, Founder, DrawSat, Montreal
What is a satellite draw-verification report?
It is a dated, sourced document that answers one question: does the visible work on this parcel support the draw being requested? It pairs at least two licensed satellite captures of the exact parcel — one earlier, one current — with a checklist of externally visible work, an explicit red-flag summary, and a provenance block recording capture date, satellite source, resolution, and processing chain.
It is a report, not software. No seat to buy, no dashboard, no feed to integrate: a lender sends one project address and a PDF comes back.
What matters to a credit file is independence. The imagery is ordered and interpreted by a third party with no relationship to the borrower and no stake in the outcome — a different evidentiary category from photographs supplied by the party requesting the money. DrawSat sells these reports, using licensed commercial imagery at typically ~30cm optical resolution, with synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) as fallback when cloud blocks the optical capture.
Who uses a satellite draw-verification report?
Private and hard-money construction lenders and fund-control vendors — the parties who decide whether to release funds and carry the loss if money leaves before the work exists.
Best for
- Lenders funding draws on sites they cannot visit
- Fund-control vendors managing disbursements across scattered projects
- Rural or remote parcels where inspector coverage is thin or slow
- Files where the only current evidence of progress came from the borrower
- Delay, insurance, and litigation files needing a dated reconstruction
Not for
- Developers or general contractors documenting their own progress — this is written for the lender
- Anyone needing interior finish percentages, workmanship sign-off, permits, or lien clearance
- Anyone needing a certified inspection of record for a regulator or investor covenant
- Teams shopping for a dashboard, an API, or a self-serve subscription
What can 30cm satellite imagery actually see?
Roughly 30cm optical imagery resolves site-scale physical change with confidence and resolves nothing about the inside of a building. That boundary is the whole value of the report: rely on the in-scope column, never on the out-of-scope column.
| In scope — verifiable from orbit | Out of scope — not verifiable from orbit |
|---|---|
| Cleared land | Interior framing, MEP, drywall, finishes |
| Earthwork and grading | Workmanship and build quality |
| Foundations | Code compliance and sign-offs |
| Structure footprint | Permit status |
| Roofing | Lien status |
| Cranes and equipment | Cost allocation and invoices |
| Stockpiles | Anything under roof or behind a wall |
| Paving | Subcontractor presence or labour hours |
We complement inspectors. We do not replace code, quality, or interior inspections.
How does this sit next to a traditional draw inspection?
They answer different questions, so the model is sequence, not substitution. The satellite report says whether the site physically moved since the last draw; the inspector says whether the work inside is real, correct, and compliant.
| Satellite draw-verification report | Third-party draw inspection | |
|---|---|---|
| Proves | Externally visible change | Interior progress, workmanship, code compliance |
| Reach | Any parcel, including remote | Wherever an inspector can be scheduled |
| Turnaround | 24–48h, or 48–72h commercial | Varies by market and availability |
| Evidence source | Licensed satellite operator, dated capture | Inspector on site, with photographs |
| Independent of borrower | Yes | Yes, when engaged by the lender |
| Interiors | No | Yes |
| Role in the file | Pre-screen, second source, dispute record | Inspection of record |
How does the process work?
- Send one project address. Email the street address or parcel ID, plus the percentage the borrower claims. No account, no onboarding.
- We source and date the imagery. Recent and archive captures of the parcel at roughly 30cm. If cloud blocks the capture, we say so and fall back to archive imagery or SAR rather than guessing.
- We analyse visible change and flag exceptions. Detection models identify site-scale change and a human reviews every panel. Red flags are explicit: no visible activity, stalled earthwork, progress inconsistent with the request.
- You receive a draw-ready PDF. Annotated before-and-after panels, visible-progress checklist, red-flag summary, provenance block.
What does a satellite draw-verification report cost?
| Offer | Price | Turnaround | Use it when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pilot report | $0, one per firm | 24–48 hours | Testing us before you pay for anything |
| Quick Draw Screen | $399 per report | 24–48 hours | Screening one draw on a residential or light-commercial site |
| Commercial Progress Evidence | $1,200 per report | 48–72 hours | 3+ capture dates, large commercial sites, or radar for cloud |
| Lender retainer | $2,000 per month | Priority 24 hours | Portfolio coverage: 6 screens included, extra $299 |
This is not a cheaper alternative to inspections. It buys remote reach, a 48-hour answer, independence from the borrower, and provenance that survives a dispute.
FAQ
We already use an inspector.
Good — keep them. Inspectors verify interior work, quality, and permits. We verify visible progress independently, from orbit, in 48 hours, on sites nobody can cheaply reach. The report is built to be used as a pre-screen before you pay for a full inspection, and as a second source on remote or disputed draws.
Is satellite evidence legitimate?
Every report uses imagery from licensed commercial satellite operators, with capture date, resolution, and processing chain documented. It supports your draw decision and your file; it is not a certified inspection substitute — and we say so on every report.
What about cloud cover?
If optical capture is clouded, we flag it, use archive imagery, or fall back to cloud-penetrating radar (SAR). Every report states its confidence level.
How fast, really?
Quick Draw Screens deliver in 24–48 hours from receiving the address. Commercial reports in 48–72 hours.
Send one address
Email one project address to PLACEHOLDER@drawsat.com and we will produce a Quick Draw Screen at no cost — one live project of yours, yours to keep either way.
DrawSat is based in Montreal and serves all of North America — the United States, Canada, and Mexico — with reports delivered in English, French, or Spanish.