
What Are the Main Uses of Aerial Photography?
- Mapping. Have you ever used Google maps or a similar app to help you get to your destination? Those maps are built of a...
- Urban Development. Whether a city is expanding or a new home development is being planned, there are specific components...
- Group Photos. There are plenty of practical uses for aerial photographs, and...
What are the different types of aerial photography?
Types . There are three types of aerial photography. 1. Aerial survey is the most common type of aerial photography and is used in a variety of applications, including. 2. Aerial mapping involves the use of digital cameras to capture images of the Earth’s surface. The images are then combined to create topographic maps and other types of maps. 3.
Who might use aerial photographs?
They often work for real estate developers and architects, who rely on aerial photos when evaluating potential locations and marketing their properties. They need training in photography, strong spatial skills and in-depth knowledge of photography equipment, editing techniques and photo-editing software.
What are the main uses of aerial photography?
Aerial photography can be used to document changes in landscapes. One of the main uses of vertical aerial photographs is for mapping. Aerial photographers use both vertical and oblique photographs for planning land-use projects, movie production, environmental studies, archaeology, power line inspection, oil and gas surveying, surveillance ...
What are the differences between map and aerial photo?
Satellite Images
- Manned spacecraft photographs. Photographs were taken over limited areas of the Earth on NASA's Gemini (1965-66) and Apollo (1968-69) Missions.
- Landsat. ...
- Advanced very high resolution radiometer. ...

What are the two major uses of an aerial photograph?
Answer: Aerial photographs are used in topographical mapping and interpretation. These two different uses have led to the development of photogrammetry and photo/image interpretation as two independent but related sciences.
Why are aerial and satellite photographs useful?
Satellite imagery and aerial photography both provide a view of the Earth from above, and both are used to study geography, to survey areas of land and even to spy on governments.
What is the purpose of aerial photographs of a crime scene?
In these cases aerial photography can provide a superior perspective while providing facts in a more accurate and more easily understood manner than the usual verbal testimony.
What are the advantages of aerial photographs as sources?
Aerial Imagery: A big advantage of using aerial imagery is the flexibility to plan data acquisition according to the local weather conditions and take every opportunity to fly in cloud-free conditions. It is also possible to fly under cloud cover with minor corrections to be applied during post-processing.
What is an advantage of using aerial photographs to create a map?
An aerial photograph has the following advantages over a map: (1) It provides a current pictorial view of the ground that no map can equal. (2) It is more readily obtained. The photograph may be in the hands of the user within a few hours after it is taken; a map may take months to prepare.
What is the meaning of aerial photography?
An aerial photograph, in broad terms, is any photograph taken from the air. Normally, air photos are taken vertically from an aircraft using a highly-accurate camera.
What is the importance of forensic photography?
Photography is extremely important to crime scene investigation because it establishes what the crime scene looked like at the time that investigators got there. This is extremely important for helping investigators to truly understand what the crime scene looked like in its totality.
What is aerial photography in geography?
aerial photography, technique of photographing the Earth's surface or features of its atmosphere or hydrosphere with cameras mounted on aircraft, rockets, or Earth-orbiting satellites and other spacecraft. aerial photography.
What is an aerial photograph?
Air photography from flight. Aerial photography (or airborne imagery) is the taking of photographs from an aircraft or other flying object.
How did aerial photography help the war?
The use of aerial photography rapidly matured during the war, as reconnaissance aircraft were equipped with cameras to record enemy movements and defenses. At the start of the conflict, the usefulness of aerial photography was not fully appreciated, with reconnaissance being accomplished with map sketching from the air.
What is vertical aerial photography?
Vertical aerial photography is used in cartography (particularly in photogrammetric surveys, which are often the basis for topographic maps ), land-use planning, aerial archaeology. Oblique aerial photography is used for movie production, environmental studies, power line inspection, surveillance, construction progress, commercial advertising, conveyancing, and artistic projects. An example of how aerial photography is used in the field of archaeology is the mapping project done at the site Angkor Borei in Cambodia from 1995–1996. Using aerial photography, archaeologists were able to identify archaeological features, including 112 water features (reservoirs, artificially constructed pools and natural ponds) within the walled site of Angkor Borei. In the United States, aerial photographs are used in many Phase I Environmental Site Assessments for property analysis.
How many feet did the Fairchild aerial survey cover?
One Fairchild aerial survey aircraft in 1935 carried unit that combined two synchronized cameras, and each camera having five six inch lenses with a ten-inch lens and took photos from 23,000 feet . Each photo covered two hundred and twenty-five square miles.
What was the purpose of the aerial photography in 1918?
1 Squadron AFC to photograph a 624 square miles (1,620 km 2) area in Palestine as an aid to correcting and improving maps of the Turkish front. This was a pioneering use of aerial photography as an aid for cartography.
How to make a panorama?
Panoramas can be made by stitching several photographs taken in different angles from one spot (e.g. with a hand held camera) or from different spots at the same angle ( e.g. from a plane). Stereo photography techniques allow for the creation of 3D-images from several photographs of the same area taken from different spots.
When did Germany start using aerial cameras?
Germany adopted the first aerial camera, a Görz, in 1913. The French began the war with several squadrons of Blériot observation aircraft equipped with cameras for reconnaissance. The French Army developed procedures for getting prints into the hands of field commanders in record time.
Why are aerial photographs important?
Aerial photographs are vital to any study of local environmental conditions and they are used in many different ways, depending on the type of photograph used, the angle the photographs are taken at, and the elevation of the vehicle used to take them.
What is aerial photography?
Aerial photography is - as it sounds - the process of taking photographs from the air, but there is more to it than simply using a light aircraft or helicopter and flying up to take photographs.
Why do archaeologists use oblique images?
The oblique image is primarily used in archaeology to take a wider context of a feature and the area around it, and also to give depth. Nearly always taken at a much lower elevation than the vertical image and in few numbers, its application is fairly limited and often taken for a specific purpose (8).
Why is winter the best time to take aerial photos?
There are many reasons for this, not least of all that it is easier to see features in fields that do not have crops and will not be ploughed for several more months.
Which is easier to interpret: vertical aerial or oblique?
As a rule, vertical aerial photographs are easier to interpret than oblique photographs because of the standardised ways in which they are taken - with set scales and at a single non-arbitrary angle (10).
When was the first aerial photograph taken?
The first aerial photograph was oblique and taken of a French village in the late 19 th century. The man who took it - photographer Gaspar Felix Tournachon - patented the concept of using aerial photographs to compile maps (5); it was to prove much more effective than the time-consuming ground surveys that had then been the more commonly-used method of the national mapping organisations that developed throughout the 19 th century (such as the UK's Ordnance Survey). George R. Lawrence took aerial photographs of San Francisco in 1906 following the devastating earthquake, but it was not until World War I - when potentially military applications were foreseen - that a systematic process of taking aerial photographs would become key to the development of the method.
What was the Cold War and the development of colour photography?
The Cold War and the development of colour photography meant that military applications continued and it was during this period that wider environmental applications developed too. Infra-red photography became crucial to vegetation mapping (20) and also to tracking and identifying diseased plants and trees (18).
Why do photographers use aerial photographs?
In wartime, photographers use aerial photographs to locate targets. And, given advances in drone technology, the applications for this niche are growing.
What is considered an aerial photograph?
To be considered an aerial photograph, you have to take the image with equipment that is not based on the ground. And, it is not the same as air-to-air photography where photographers are capturing images of other planes or airborne craft.
How many degrees do you tilt the camera axis in a vertical aerial photograph?
Vertical aerial photographs have no tilt in the camera axis. Low oblique photographs –unlike with vertical photographs, to take low oblique photographs you tilt the camera axis more than 3 degrees in a manner that the horizon–the area where the earth and sky meet–is not visible in the image.
How many lenses are needed for aerial photography?
Aerial photography normally involves a minimum of two camera lenses attached together, which is known as a 2-lens system, but you can also use more lenses. For example, you can use a 3-lens systems to capture areas from horizon to horizon. As an example, photographers used this type of system, also called a trimetrogen system, in World War II to map enemy territory.
What type of film is used for aerial photography?
Film and Filter Aerial Photography 1 Panchromatic Images–this refers to the type of film used, which captures all visible wavelengths of energy. The image is in grayscale, and often used for reconnaissance or map study. 2 Color Photographs–color film can capture various visible bands separately. This type of aerial photography can be used to interpret objects within a study area. 3 Infrared Imagery–this refers to the use of infrared film, which records only infrared energy. This type of photography is used to study vegetation and bodies of water, for example. 4 Color-Infrared Imagery–this combines color and infrared film for vegetation studies, water body mapping, and a variety of urban applications. 5 Thermal infrared imagery–this captures not only infrared images, but temperature variations as well. Experts use this type of imagery for temperature studies.
What is the difference between aerial and terrestrial photogrammetry?
Photogrammetry combines photography and geography. The difference relates to how you take aerial photographs. With aerial photogrammetry, you take the images from an airborne craft whereas with terrestrial photogrammetry, you take the photos from a camera at a fixed, elevated terrestrial position.
What is aerial photography?
The term aerial photography refers to taking photographs from an elevated position, often using an airborne craft, including such equipment as rockets, airplanes, hot air balloons, and more recently, drones. To be considered an aerial photograph, you have to take the image with equipment that is not based on the ground.
What is meant by aerial photography?
An aerial photograph, in broad terms, is any photograph taken from the air. Normally, air photos are taken vertically from an aircraft using a highly-accurate camera. Aerial photography refers to photography taken from the air. Aerial photography is a popular, versatile, and cost-effective method of remote sensing.
The characteristic of aerial photography
Synoptic Perspective: Aerial photographs provide us with a bird’s-eye view of large areas, allowing us to see surface features in their spatial context. They allow for the detection of small-scale features and spatial relationships that would be impossible to detect on the ground.
The business opportunity in aerial photography
Every day, the world becomes a little more technologically advanced. As a result, it’s no surprise that the once-fad of drones has evolved into a viable business opportunity. Aerial photography is in higher demand than ever, especially if you’re looking to start a lucrative side hustle or new business.

Overview
History
Uses
Aircraft
Regulations
Types
Video
Aerial photography was first practiced by the French photographer and balloonist Gaspard-Félix Tournachon, known as "Nadar", in 1858 over Paris, France. However, the photographs he produced no longer exist and therefore the earliest surviving aerial photograph is titled 'Boston, as the Eagle and the Wild Goose See It.' Taken by James Wallace Black and Samuel Archer King on O…
See also
Vertical aerial photography is used in cartography (particularly in photogrammetric surveys, which are often the basis for topographic maps ), land-use planning, aerial archaeology. Oblique aerial photography is used for movie production, environmental studies, power line inspection, surveillance, construction progress, commercial advertising, conveyancing, and artistic proj…