Aerial Photography: Its Principles and Application

You may not have considered the several applications of aerial photography, which is quickly becoming one of the most versatile and widely used types of photography. Aerial photography can take pictures of the world from above and zoom in on certain parts. This makes it useful in many fields, including agriculture, industry, filmmaking, and even the military.

In their first year of study, undergraduates in archaeology and geography will learn how to analyze aerial photographs. Students at the master's level are typically asked to evaluate a significant number of aerial photographs and to write academic essays or projects that employ these images in ways that go beyond just comprehending what they portray. Despite the extensive use of electronic tools to create current maps, mapmakers still utilize them, primarily to collect measurements when generating those maps. Depending on the picture, the angle from which it was taken, and whether or not a high-altitude vehicle was used to get it, aerial pictures can be used in different ways to look at the local environment.

Do You Know What Aerial Photography Is?

Aerial photography entails much more than merely flying a small plane or helicopter into the air and taking images. Aerial surveys include various components that must be considered if the data is to be effectively extrapolated. Many characteristics of the landscape are invisible from the ground, so aerial pictures are required to study and map them.

Landscape studies, particularly archaeology, have been using them for more than 100 years, and scholars have learned much about the world around us. Their applications are diverse, and when combined with the emerging technology of GIS, the potential means that the method will not become obsolete anytime soon. Both oblique and vertical aerial pictures can be used for a variety of purposes. When it comes to photographing people, black and white images are still preferred, not only because they are less expensive, but also because they make distinguishing features easier.

Drone footage for Real Estate

This technology is put to one of the most widespread uses in the real estate sector by real estate brokers and agents who are looking for creative new approaches to entice prospective purchasers. The use of aerial photography, which provides a perspective that is both creative and unique, enables prospective homebuyers and investors to get a clear preview of a property, regardless of whether they are looking for properties in person or simply on the internet. This is true whether they are looking for properties in person or simply on the internet.

Cinematic Aerial Photography

In recent years, many who work in the film and television industries have started to recognize the many benefits that can be gained from aerial photography and have begun to include it in their work wherever possible. Aerial cinematography is not new to filmmakers. However, they are increasingly looking for novel and creative ways to incorporate drones into the narrative process in order to create breathtaking and dramatic moments. Due to the enormous cranes and helicopters that were utilized in the past, aerial photography was historically only accessible to high-budget Hollywood blockbusters. 

Aerial Photography Use in the Building Industry

Another important application is industrial aerial photography, which is carried out for the purpose of conducting research on construction and infrastructure. Aerial images provide a perspective that is not feasible to get from the ground, and they highlight things that are in the surroundings that are otherwise hidden. The price of drones has gone down a lot, which has made them much easier to get in this business.

Oblique Aerial Photography

These images are usually taken at an angle of 45 degrees, but because they are typically taken manually, the photographer is free to choose any angle that will provide the most accurate representation of the subject or situation. In order to provide a more in-depth understanding of a site's entire context, the majority of the time, archaeologists will employ the utilization of oblique photographs in their work. The vertical image is nearly always captured at a lower height and in fewer numbers, thereby limiting the applications for which it can be used and frequently being captured for a particular purpose. Because things that are in close proximity to the camera appear to be larger than those that are further away, it is recommended that one use a selection or a frame of reference on the ground in order to get the desired effect in terms of perspective. Images taken by medium-sized fixed-wing aircraft or helicopters are perfect for long-term, year-round monitoring of how important landmarks and features change over a long period of time.

Vertical Aerial Photography

The most common type of aerial photography is taking a picture of a landscape from above. Due to the fact that it is a plan view, perspective distortion does not exist. It is possible to construct a 3D image using stereoscopic views and a device that allows you to look at both of them at the same time, although doing so makes it more difficult to interpret the terrain, particularly variations in elevation. This is a terrific method to show the changes in elevation that occur over the land. All of the photographs of the same scene, whether they were shot on the same day or spread out over a period of time, are taken from the exact same vantage point, so that it is easier to compare them. When they are used in archaeology to find interesting earthworks and other sites that are often missed on the ground, they tend to cover a much larger area and focus on the landscape rather than certain parts of the environment.

Earth Sciences: Aerial Photography

Make use of these resources to investigate the soil and geological changes that have occurred over time, as well as the underlying ground movements that could result in catastrophic events such as landslides. Archaeological surveys are more beneficial to geologists than airborne surveys, which are less useful to geologists since airborne surveys are more expensive and require more interpretive expertise. However, historical records of natural landscape changes are essential for predicting future changes. When geologists are trying to figure out how much precipitation a certain year receives, aerial photography might come in quite handy.