Author Topic: Free Aerial Photos (Read 2575 times)

J.Hercules · « **on:** January 04, 2009, 10:11:41 am »

I checked out this site the other day and was able to print google aerial maps for Free.

Most of the sites I had tried wanted a fee to print.

www.forestasyst.org Now if google would just update the imagery, South Georgia area is about 4 years old.

underdog · « **Reply #1 on:** January 04, 2009, 10:57:01 am »

That was fun

The soil map is very good

Jeff · « **Reply #2 on:** January 04, 2009, 11:12:32 am »

I took the time to use google earth and photo shop last year to piece together and create a file that I hope to take to a big print shop one day. Its a high resolution arial photos of my land and the land of interest around it. It should print out a wall size photo if I wanted it to. The second photo, you can see my driveway off south side of the north road just to the left of the pavement color change. If you go straight south until you get to the north edge of the power line, the black spot is the roof of my tower blind.

Ironwood · « **Reply #3 on:** January 04, 2009, 02:07:23 pm »

A bit confusing on the description, but an old Defense Mapping School (terrain analysis) honor graduate can pick it out from the contextual info.

. I love aerial imagery, could spend hours studying, even more intriging in urban settings AND looking for concealed threats

Your tower reads as a shadow opposite the real tree shadow across the power line due south.

Ironwood

beenthere · « **Reply #4 on:** January 04, 2009, 02:11:33 pm »

Hmmm
Shadows look right to me...sun in the south.

Top of "map" is north.

Ironwood · « **Reply #5 on:** January 04, 2009, 02:21:25 pm »

Yup, watching TOOOOO many little ones will make you a little batty.

corrected my incorrect statemant, Ironwood

Jeff · « **Reply #6 on:** January 04, 2009, 02:34:07 pm »

The sun is almost dead south as on my full size image here I can see the unmistakable shadows cast by the power poles. the line starts in the center of the power line and goes north. The poles are in the center so its easy to determine the direction. I suppose with enough data, a guy could almost figure out what time of day and what time of year the photo was taken. Probably the only data you would need outside of what is gathered in the photo, would be the height of the poles.

Jeff · « **Reply #7 on:** January 04, 2009, 02:36:09 pm »

That's my friend Lou's driveway going to the north of the North Road. It's about 1/2 mile long and cuts through his front ponds and ends at his house on the north side of the Ponds.

Ironwood · « **Reply #8 on:** January 04, 2009, 02:44:17 pm »

Pole height can be calculated from the next photo in the series, to create a steroscopic image, and w/ a parlax bar (sic, available from Gempler's) you can come close. A larger object makes it easier (building, pile of gravel, hill, etc..). The pole top is a tough target but certainly tree height can be done this way.

Ironwood

Larry · « **Reply #9 on:** January 04, 2009, 03:37:16 pm »

I only use google as a last resort now. Our county went to some kind of mapping thing in 2006 and the photos are updated once a year. You can get property lines, zoning, owners, and do a lot of cool stuff with the built in tools...like the measuring wheel. Most counties are doing the same as most of the dollars are coming from the Fed.

I got some nice printed photos out of the Corp of Engineers a few months ago. USDA might also help if ya talk nice.

Took a screen shot of my place to show some of the cool tools available.

Ironwood · « **Reply #10 on:** January 04, 2009, 03:53:22 pm »

Larry,

Those are generall refered to as GIS systems.

Ironwood

Tim L · « **Reply #11 on:** January 04, 2009, 04:24:36 pm »

how old are the images ?

Ironwood · « **Reply #12 on:** January 04, 2009, 05:05:52 pm »

It will/ should vary greatly. The GIS systems are patchey as are the various co.'s that provide the info. to the carriers we use here. My google earth was a couple years old as I could see my 8000lb forklift sitting in my drive. You will need to study the photos a bit if that info is not provided by the listing co. (in my case google). At my place I can date it by what is laying around

. Many counties do frequent fly overs to get code enforcement issues sighted. I believe my Township does that on a bi-annual basis (every two), it will vary as some townships have varying resources ($$$). Larry, your photo looks like a plane platform, not satellite as with many "google services". The definition is too great for anything other than top shelf military satellite, unavailable to the public (in my dated opinion)

Ironwood

Piston · « **Reply #13 on:** January 06, 2009, 07:25:00 pm »

Quote from: Larry on January 04, 2009, 03:37:16 pm

I only use google as a last resort now. Our county went to some kind of mapping thing in 2006 and the photos are updated once a year. You can get property lines, zoning, owners, and do a lot of cool stuff with the built in tools...like the measuring wheel. Most counties are doing the same as most of the dollars are coming from the Fed.

I got some nice printed photos out of the Corp of Engineers a few months ago. USDA might also help if ya talk nice.

Took a screen shot of my place to show some of the cool tools available.

(Image hidden from quote, click to view.)

I've always wondered this....how do you take the screen shot to post it like that?

Larry · « **Reply #14 on:** January 06, 2009, 08:21:50 pm »

Hit the Print Screen button on the keyboard...go to Paint (or your favorite image software) and paste. Save as a jpeg so it can be posted here. I fergit most times and have to do a google to refresh my memory...happens when ya hit the big 60. So..."Don't ever grow up"

beenthere · « **Reply #15 on:** January 06, 2009, 11:58:06 pm »

Hmmm?
I usually press Alt + print screen to capture, and then paste to Paint. Then cut out the peripherals and cut/paste, save to .jpg or print. Will try it without the Alt button to see how that goes.

Works just fine without the Alt key pressed. Always learning something new.

SwampDonkey · « **Reply #16 on:** January 07, 2009, 06:37:25 am »

Yet another GIS thread

This is from data downloaded off our provincial government website. I generated the contours with 20 meter (major) and 2 meter (minor) intervals. I can adjust the smoothing, but went with no smoothing. I have also generated my own contours with the GPS, and collected X,Y,Z positions. I put a 30 meter wide buffer along one of the streams. The area on the left edge of the screen is in the State of Maine near Mars Hill. Yellow numbers are property ID numbers (PID) we see on our tax bills.

Piston · « **Reply #17 on:** January 07, 2009, 10:53:38 am »

Quote from: Larry on January 06, 2009, 08:21:50 pm

Hit the Print Screen button on the keyboard...go to Paint (or your favorite image software) and paste. Save as a jpeg so it can be posted here. I fergit most times and have to do a google to refresh my memory...happens when ya hit the big 60. So..."Don't ever grow up"

wow, who would think that that button on the keyboard that says "print screen" is the one you use to print the screen....absolutely amazing what we can do these days....

i guess if i opened my eyes i would have seen that earlier, thanks...

beenthere · « **Reply #18 on:** January 07, 2009, 11:04:57 am »

Piston
I can remember the time when hitting the Print Screen button actually caused the printing of the screen to the printer. Not sure what is different, other than so many more options. And maybe it is just configuration of the computer. More choices when it gets to "Paint", as can block out areas of interest to capture.

SwampDonkey · « **Reply #19 on:** January 07, 2009, 04:27:25 pm »

Oh man, Fortran 77, print screen and tractor feed paper jams. The good old days.

SwampDonkey · « **Reply #20 on:** January 07, 2009, 04:32:24 pm »

I see in Larry's picture he's using ESRI's ARCIMS map server. I didn't know Google was using that map server. Wish I had broadband.

What was the URL of that map Larry, I'd like to try on ArcPad for kicks.

SwampDonkey · « **Reply #21 on:** January 07, 2009, 05:04:45 pm »

Jeff, you might be able to see that map off your cell phone in ArcExplorer (free). I just loaded a map here on my desktop onto Arcpad from the geography network. Arcpad can be loaded on some cell phones to, but it's not a freebie.

SwampDonkey · « **Reply #22 on:** January 07, 2009, 05:07:48 pm »

I never even thought of this before. That map I just loaded I can zone into any state, it just retrieves all my moves off the map server. Kinda slow on dialup, but the maps so far are under 200 kb.

It's a relief map, not very high resolution as when I zoom in on Mars Hill (not labeled) it goes all pixelized.

SwampDonkey · « **Reply #23 on:** January 07, 2009, 06:34:26 pm »

Google maps for cell phone

http://www.google.com/mobile/default/maps.html

m.google.com/maps from your cell

PineNut · « **Reply #24 on:** January 07, 2009, 11:23:43 pm »

I have a program Screen Shot. You can mark the areas you want to copy and then copy and paste in any imaging software.

Jeff · « **Reply #25 on:** January 08, 2009, 01:51:09 pm »

Quote from: SwampDonkey on January 07, 2009, 06:34:26 pm

Google maps for cell phone

http://www.google.com/mobile/default/maps.html

m.google.com/maps from your cell

I've got that, but I prefer http://www.livesearchmobile.com/ I have them both installed on my mobileQ phone and find the live search much more functional and many of the maps more recent and more detailed, but that depends on where you are. For my purposes, the areas I frequent, one is just better then the other. With Live search I can speak into my phone, and say something like "Restaurants near De Tour Michigan." It will then return a list of suggested places with map, directions, it'll call for me if needed, and so on.

SwampDonkey · « **Reply #26 on:** January 08, 2009, 01:56:24 pm »

Ah, your on top of things then.

I'm still searching for an ArcIMS server with more detail when zooming. So far, they are pretty much low detail when you get close. I am wondering how to reach Google Map and Google Earth through ArcPad. They may not be ESRI compliant I guess. Also, when I zoom to 10,000 feet or so they don't have coverage for Canada, at least not here, shows Maine, then about 500 m of overlap into NB and everything goes white beyond that. How pathetic.

SwampDonkey · « **Reply #27 on:** January 08, 2009, 02:09:19 pm »

Here's one for North Dakota. Trying the aerial image overlay now. Looks like it might be more detailed, the files are about 0.5 meg

web.apps.state.nd.us

You can use ArcExplorer for these on your desktop, it's free from ESRI. Just Google it.

SwampDonkey · « **Reply #28 on:** January 08, 2009, 02:28:49 pm »

Here is a screen shot of a corner of ND, the scale and the decimal degrees of my cursor are shown on the bottom.

This is an area of ND on the eastern side, probably 1/3 of the way in from the eastern border and near the middle. Looks like the photos were flown North to South, because of the banding you see in the full extend of the photo mosaic. I'll try and load some more layers on, but I'm on dialup so it can get old real quick.

SwampDonkey · « **Reply #29 on:** January 08, 2009, 05:26:30 pm »

Here's some maps for Kentucky to explore.

http://kygeonet.ky.gov

SwampDonkey · « **Reply #30 on:** January 08, 2009, 06:16:32 pm »

Here's an area I zoomed to along Little Kentucky River and Georges Creek, Kentucky.

No, it's not Google Earth, it's Arcpad. I clipped a tiny section from the screen.

SwampDonkey · « **Reply #31 on:** January 09, 2009, 06:15:44 am »

Here are other ArcIMS map servers you can access in ArcPad, ArcExplorer

http://www.mapdex.org

http://www.geographynetwork.ca

http://www.geographynetwork.com

http://www.datafinder.org

Ironwood · « **Reply #32 on:** January 09, 2009, 06:41:37 am »

Swamp,,

That looks like Minnesota w/ all the kettle lakes.

Also, that pic of the highlighted watershed is sweet for training purposes, could use that at scouting to talk about watersheds.

Ironwood

SwampDonkey · « **Reply #33 on:** January 09, 2009, 08:33:19 am »

Ironwood, just use ArcExplorer and goto "Add Internet Server" and paste in the URL, it might be behind a + sign looking icon. I have not used it in ages. A list of themes will appear onscreen in a window and you can look for something that says "aerial" or "orthophoto" in it. Best to have broad band.

bck · « **Reply #34 on:** January 09, 2009, 11:46:57 pm »

I have used mapquest and got free aerial photos in the past.

SwampDonkey · « **Reply #35 on:** January 10, 2009, 03:44:19 pm »

Quote from: Ironwood on January 09, 2009, 06:41:37 am

Swamp,,

That looks like Minnesota w/ all the kettle lakes.

Also, that pic of the highlighted watershed is sweet for training purposes, could use that at scouting to talk about watersheds.

No, it's ND. But, I noticed they spend a lot of money on building roads and causeways on section lines. Straight roads even up through ponds and lakes, they much be real shallow. Some I noticed got flooded over. Some of the fields didn't look like efficient farming with all the ponds they navigate around.

News:

Author Topic: Free Aerial Photos (Read 2575 times)