Scanning planets in SC2 was kinda boring, since it was automatic. Scanning planets in Mass effect was active but tedious and unrewarding, since you couldnt kinda see where you had scanned before and it was slow and always the same. Doing it with a mouse was annoying. Scanning planets is kinda cool tho, since it adds to the excitement on what youre gonna find there.

So, here's an idea: In many casual tablet games there are stuff that you have to "paint" away. Why not make planet scanning an active thing, which is fun but somewhat quick? Like having a 2d map projection, which you have to paint with your finger / mouse / gamepad and the action removes the "fog of war" from that position you paint. Think photoshop erase-tool erasing the top layer to reveal the bottom layer. At start your eraser brush would be somewhat small, but later you could upgrade it to a bigger one, a more powerful scanner if you will, to do the scanning faster.

The newest of the now hot: ACTIVE scanning technology. You just need to be active to do it.