As whales recover from commercial exploitation, they are increasing in abundance in habitats that they have been absent from for decades. However, studying the recovery and habitat use patterns of whales, particularly in remote and inaccessible regions, frequently poses logistical and economic challenges. Here we trial a new approach for measuring whale density in a remote area, using Very-High-Resolution WorldView-3 satellite imagery. This approach has capacity to provide sightings data to complement and assist traditional sightings surveys. We compare at-sea whale density estimates to estimates derived from satellite imagery collected at a similar time, and use suction-cup archival logger data to make an adjustment for surface availability. We demonstrate that satellite imagery can provide useful data on whale occurrence and density. Densities, when unadjusted for surface availability are shown to be considerably lower than those estimated by the ship survey. However, adjusted for surface availability and weather conditions (0.13 whales per km 2 , CV = 0.38), they fall within an order of magnitude of those derived by traditional line-transect estimates (0.33 whales per km 2 , CV = 0.09). Satellite surveys represent an exciting development for high-resolution image-based cetacean observation at sea, particularly in inaccessible regions, presenting opportunities for ongoing and future research. Gathering data on cetacean distribution and densities has traditionally employed visual observers operating from various platforms, typically either ships, aircraft or land 1-5. Much of our understanding about baleen whale population recovery and ecology depends on these methods 6-8. In oceanic regions close to population centres, these methods are often used to monitor regional population densities 8-10. However, regular applications of these methods are often constrained in remote, inaccessible regions, where their use represents a significant logistical and financial commitment 11. Consequently, such surveys are infrequent, making monitoring of population trends more challenging. In the Southern Ocean, the only comprehensive surveys south of 60° S (i.e. the putative summer foraging area for a range of cetacean species) were those undertaken by the International Whaling Commission (IWC) during the International Decade of Cetacean Research and the Southern Ocean Whale Ecosystem Research (IDCR SOWER) surveys, between 1978/9 and 2003/4. These surveys circumnavigated the continent three times, and based on these data Southern Ocean baleen whale recovery trends have been estimated 6,12,13. However, smallscale, sometimes ad hoc studies are far more common. These are generally biased towards the most accessible regions of the Southern Ocean 14 , the Western Antarctic Peninsula 3,4,15-18 , with more limited studies also conducted in the Scotia Arc 19 , Weddell Sea 20 and limited areas of East Antarctica 21,22. The Southern Ocean represents