Among the many tools used by modern mapmakers, aerial photos are one of the most significant. This is because modern technologies allow engineers, designers, and others to create “layered” maps that end up with a true “three dimensional” finish. This is something entirely impossible without aerial photos and their data.
What sort of data can such an image provide? Along with a clear representation of the geography of the land, most equipment used to capture such images is also capable of taking survey-type measurements too.
All of this data is then run through a program using GIS capabilities. GIS translates to “geographic information system” and is the way that groups as high-tech and official as the USGS (United States Geological Survey) create their widely used maps. GIS takes different levels of data and information and converts it into a visual “solution”. Not all GIS programs seek to make what are recognized as maps, and many create complex charts and tables. This is done not only through assessing data, but also making analysis and comparisons, and this is where accurate aerial photos are vitally important.
For instance, any noticeable shifts in a riverbed, or even movement in an older bridge, will be noted by such a program. This can then be used for whatever purposes the agency or group has in mind.
Another good example of the value of accurate aerial photos came during the Space Shuttle Columbia tragedy. NASA and other government agencies entered such information as the ship’s trajectory, weather details, and the prevailing wind patterns along with aerial photos of the continent into a GIS program. They were then able to accurately analyze the data and create a proposed debris field. This was used to locate a huge majority of the ship’s remains.
Aerial photos are also input into global mapping programs in various “layers”, much as artists do in Adobe Photoshop. This allows for a truly accurate rendering of a vast area thanks to the program’s ability to “mosaic” or seamlessly piece every part of the proposed map together.
Tags: aerial photos