Operate
Operate means to have decision-making authority over the functioning of a remote sensing instrument. If there are multiple entities involved, the entity with the ultimate ability to decide what unenhanced data to collect with the instrument and to execute that decision, directly or through a legal arrangement with a third party such as a ground station or platform owner, is considered to be operating that system.
Source
15 CFR § 960.4
Scoping language
For purposes of this part, the following terms have the following meanings: