Japan demand could prompt new tie-ups for DigitalGlobe-official

BANGALORE, March 16 (Reuters) - The spurt in demand for images of disaster-struck Japan could prompt satellite imagery provider DigitalGlobe to look for tie-ups that would enhance its product offerings, a company official told Reuters.

"The demand for imagery from Japan has really run the gamut of our customer base," Steve Wood, vice president of DigitalGlobe's analysis center, said.

"I am sure we will (look at new tie-ups). We are going through such a busy period. We are getting all kind of requests," said Wood.

Wood said demand for Japan images was coming from government agencies, businesses concerned about their employees in Japan and organizations providing relief efforts.

Japan was hit by a massive earthquake on Friday that triggered a tsunami along its northeastern coast. The country is also battling to avert a nuclear disaster arising from cooling system failures at a power plant.

He said the company was looking for partners on the ground in Japan, who may be able to provide additional information using the company's satellite imagery as their base, or others who can add information through the web.

In Japan, the company is currently working with Hitachi Software -- which combines DigitalGlobe's imagery with its own software technology to provide value added data -- as well as with the U.S. Department of Defense and relief agencies.

Longmont, Colorado-based DigitalGlobe has now imaged a little less than 300,000 sq kms -- about 80 percent of Japan -- in 5 days, Wood said.

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Most of the demand for imagery providers such as DigitalGlobe and rival GeoEye comes from defense agencies.

But both companies have been working hard to diversify their customer base into the lucrative commercial market.

Wood said the company was monitoring the launch of new consumer devices and exploring ways in which geospatial imagery can be used on them.

"We have demonstrated to people the capabilities of putting imagery into iPads and iPhones and other very popular devices that gets the imagery into the hands of an everyday user," said Wood.

DigitalGlobe is already working extensively with personal navigation device makers and location-based information service providers to expand its base, and has partnerships with Microsoft , Google and Garmin .

Asked if the company was in talks with Apple , he said: "We talk virtually to everyone but we don't want to be specific at this time who we are talking to." (Reporting by A. Ananthalakshmi in Bangalore; Editing by Anthony Kurian) (ananthalakshmi.as@thomsonreuters.com;+1 646 223 8780; Reuters Messaging: ananthalakshmi.as.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))