Yes, that’s a satellite photo, and yes, there really is a gigantic set of connecting canals spelling “HAMAD” in Abu Dhabi.
Oil Sheik Hamad bin Hamdan Al Nahyan of Abu Dhabi
This super Wealthy Oil Sheik is the Douchebag who paid to have his name etched into the sand so that it would be visible from space. Hamad, 63, a scion of the Billionaire Abu Dhabi Royal Family, has gouged his name in capital letters two miles across and half a mile wide.
His moniker is so big it can be seen from space (as this Google Earth pic demonstrates).
The tip of the “H” reaches into the strait that leads to the Arabian Gulf, allowing Hamad to fill the first two letters of his name with water. The “M” looks partially filled as well.
Hamad. Wide view. From Google Earth
Dawn to Dusk 