This article describes the author's methodology for using processed remote sensing data (PRSD) in the study of spatial development of metropolitan areas. It is shown that metropolitan areas are actively expanding their building areas. These processes are highly relevant and studied abroad with the help of PRSD. The resulting methodology makes it relatively simple to obtain data, which ignores administrative boundaries, peculiarities of statistical accounting (relatively simple), with the same methodology; the data can be applied to any metropolitan area in the world.