Acquiring Aerial PhotosAcquiring Aerial Photos

Where and how to get aerial photography

Different optionsDifferent options

Buy or download existing photosBuy or download existing photos Hire a professional company to Hire a professional company to

acquire new photosacquire new photos Acquire the photo yourselfAcquire the photo yourself

Buy or download existing Buy or download existing photosphotos

USGS USGS http://edc.usgs.gov/products/aerial.htmlhttp://edc.usgs.gov/products/aerial.html TerraServer USA TerraServer USA http://terraserver-usa.com/http://terraserver-usa.com/ NASA astronaut photos NASA astronaut photos

http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/sseop/clickmap/http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/sseop/clickmap/ USDA Aerial Photography Field Office USDA Aerial Photography Field Office http://www.fsa.usda.govhttp://www.fsa.usda.gov Corona photos Corona photos http://edcsns17.cr.usgs.gov/EarthExplorer/http://edcsns17.cr.usgs.gov/EarthExplorer/

Listed as declassified satellite imageryListed as declassified satellite imagery Geospatial One Stop http://gos2.geodata.gov/wps/portal/gosGeospatial One Stop http://gos2.geodata.gov/wps/portal/gos State and local GIS or planning offices State and local GIS or planning offices

Hire a professionalHire a professional

Several companies available around the worldSeveral companies available around the world Depending on the services to be provided it Depending on the services to be provided it

can be very expensivecan be very expensive Clearly define technical and legal Clearly define technical and legal

specifications specifications May be necessary to hire someone to help with thisMay be necessary to hire someone to help with this

Carefully evaluate the delivered product to Carefully evaluate the delivered product to make sure it meets the specificationsmake sure it meets the specifications May be necessary to hire someone to help with thisMay be necessary to hire someone to help with this

Do it yourselfDo it yourself

Often used for reconnaissance information Often used for reconnaissance information and collecting land cover validation and and collecting land cover validation and training datatraining data

Usually not appropriate for precision mapping Usually not appropriate for precision mapping Becoming increasingly popularBecoming increasingly popular Usually small and medium format frame Usually small and medium format frame

photography and videographyphotography and videography Sophistication ranges from hanging a camera Sophistication ranges from hanging a camera

out an airplane window to sophisticated out an airplane window to sophisticated systems with integrated sensors, mounts, systems with integrated sensors, mounts, and location and navigation instruments. and location and navigation instruments.

Flight planning considerationsFlight planning considerations

Scale (flying height and focal length)Scale (flying height and focal length) Overlap (forward and sidelap)Overlap (forward and sidelap) Exposure interval (ground speed, film size, Exposure interval (ground speed, film size,

and forward overlap)and forward overlap) Flight lines including turns for aircraftFlight lines including turns for aircraft FiltersFilters Film typeFilm type Shutter speedShutter speed Time of day and time of year (lighting Time of day and time of year (lighting

conditions)conditions) Camera mount and controlsCamera mount and controlsNote:Note: software exists to facilitate this process software exists to facilitate this process