Aerial Photography

Introduction

Aerial photography is one the earliest forms of remote sensing and is still one of the most widely used and cost effective methods of remote sensing. Before the development of multispectral sensors and computers, people were using traditional photography to capture aerial images. Since its inception, aerial photography has gone from balloons and kites, to airplane, satellites and now unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). While the quality, resolution and platforms have evolved, aerial photography is still a cornerstone of remote sensing and is becoming cheaper and more accessible than ever. Aerial photography is useful both for regional analysis and for evaluating specific sites. It can also provide a historical perspective that allows us to view changes in landscapes overtime.

As we learned earlier in this course, the first aerial photographs were taken from balloons, kites and even pigeons. Aerial photography quickly expanded with advances in aeronautics. The military potential of aerial photography was obvious and aerial photography was widely used in WWI and WWII. The first non-military aerial photography programs were developed in the 1930's as part of the Agricultural Adjustment Act. In the United States the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has been involved in the acquisition, use and distribution of aerial photography for more than 65 years. Aerial photography has numerous applications and is used by catographers, engineers and scientists to analyze everything from urban expansion to the impacts of climate change.