Terrain analysis, hydrologic modeling, and rapid raster segmentation.
If the retail cost of an eCognition license is outside your budget, several robust, open-source Object-Based Image Analysis (OBIA) tools offer professional-grade classification features safely. Alternative Software Licensing Model Best Use Case / Key Feature Completely Free & Open Source
This is the best path for those with budget constraints. Several powerful open-source tools offer OBIA capabilities:
Trimble offers official of eCognition Developer. This is the best way to test the software's capabilities on your data without any risk.