Sensor · Spaceborne

Flexible Combined Imager (FCI)

Missions → Meteosat-12 (Operational)

Meteosat Third Generation imaging payload providing 16-channel geostationary full-disc and rapid-scan imagery.

Sensor

Flexible Combined Imager (FCI) is the Meteosat Third Generation imaging payload for geostationary passive-optical observation, with a 16-channel visible and infrared observing set for full-disc and rapid-scan meteorology.^[1]^[2] Its documented imaging cadences are 10 minutes for full-disc coverage and 2.5 minutes for European rapid imagery, with 1-2 km nominal resolution and a 0.5 km high-resolution mode on selected channels.^[1]^[3]^[2] The instrument is operational on Meteosat-12 and supports cloud, surface and thermal scene monitoring from geostationary orbit through repeated visible and infrared imagery.^[1]^[2]

FCI has demonstrated atmospheric motion vectors on Meteosat-12, and sea-surface temperature retrieval and thermal-anomaly detection are demonstrated uses of the same instrument family in that mission context.^[1]^[2] Its operational role is high-cadence geostationary imaging: 16 channels, full-disc refresh, regional rapid scan, and mature use on the MTG imaging mission line.^[1]^[3]

Operator pricing

Pricing not publicly listed by operator

Supply chain position

carried by Meteosat-12

Methods this sensor implements

Demonstrated

Atmospheric motion vectors (AMV)via Meteosat-12
FCI data support atmospheric motion vector products.
Sea-surface temperature retrievalvia Meteosat-12
FCI infrared imagery supports sea-surface temperature products.
Thermal anomaly detectionvia Meteosat-12
FCI supports severe-weather and wildfire-response imagery.
Multispectral optical imaging
[eumetsat-mtg-instruments][esa-fci] 16-channel visible and infrared imager, 1 to 2 km nominal with a 0.5 km high-resolution mode on selected channels; edge covers its reflective channels only.
Thermal infrared imagingvia Meteosat-12
[eumetsat-mtg-instruments] 16-channel visible and infrared imager; infrared channels support thermal scene monitoring; edge covers its infrared channels.

Capable, undemonstrated

None on record.

Topics this relates to

Atmospheric Wind Observation Atmospheric motion vectors (AMV)(demonstrated)well suited

Weather nowcasting Atmospheric motion vectors (AMV)(demonstrated)well suited

Snow cover Multispectral optical imaging(demonstrated)well suited

Cloud properties Multispectral optical imaging(demonstrated)adequate

Coastal erosion Multispectral optical imaging(demonstrated)adequate

Crop-type mapping Multispectral optical imaging(demonstrated)adequate

Deforestation Multispectral optical imaging(demonstrated)adequate

Flooding Multispectral optical imaging(demonstrated)adequate

Illegal construction Multispectral optical imaging(demonstrated)adequate

Land cover change Multispectral optical imaging(demonstrated)adequate

Terrain elevation Multispectral optical imaging(demonstrated)adequate

Urban change Multispectral optical imaging(demonstrated)adequate

Crop phenology Multispectral optical imaging(demonstrated)marginal

Crop stress and yield Multispectral optical imaging(demonstrated)marginal

Inland water Multispectral optical imaging(demonstrated)marginal

Mineral exploration Multispectral optical imaging(demonstrated)marginal

Pasture and grazing Multispectral optical imaging(demonstrated)marginal

Sea surface temperature Sea-surface temperature retrieval(demonstrated)well suited

Ocean heat content Sea-surface temperature retrieval(demonstrated)marginal

Industrial emissions Thermal anomaly detection(demonstrated)well suited

Wildfire Thermal anomaly detection(demonstrated)well suited

Geology and geohazards Thermal anomaly detection(demonstrated)adequate

Air quality Thermal anomaly detection(demonstrated)marginal

Building thermal performance Thermal anomaly detection(demonstrated)marginal

CO2 Thermal anomaly detection(demonstrated)marginal

Disaster damage assessment Thermal anomaly detection(demonstrated)marginal

Economic activity intelligence Thermal anomaly detection(demonstrated)marginal

Illegal and unregulated fishing Thermal anomaly detection(demonstrated)marginal

Oil spills Thermal anomaly detection(demonstrated)marginal

Pipeline integrity Thermal anomaly detection(demonstrated)marginal

Shipping emissions Thermal anomaly detection(demonstrated)marginal

Urban heat island Thermal infrared imaging(demonstrated)well suited

Sources

[1]Meteosat Third Generation Instrumentsagency doc2026-06-16
[2]Flexible Combined Imageragency doc2026-06-16
[3]MTG FCI level 1c data guideagency doc2026-06-16

Cite https://eo-atlas.org/products/sensor/fci Markdown twin → Field definitions → Suggest a correction →

How to cite this page

Plain text

Flexible Combined Imager (FCI). EO-Atlas, SpectraWorks B.V. https://eo-atlas.org/products/sensor/fci (CC BY 4.0)

BibTeX

@misc{eoatlas:products:sensor:fci,
  title = {Flexible Combined Imager (FCI)},
  author = {{EO-Atlas}},
  publisher = {SpectraWorks B.V.},
  note = {CC BY 4.0},
  url = {https://eo-atlas.org/products/sensor/fci}
}