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Google Maps Adds Drone Imagery

Posted by timothy on from the hook-'em-horns-but-closer dept.

joshuadugie writes "Slashdot carried a story a while ago that Google had purchased drones for unknown purposes. Google Maps has now added new non-satellite imagery (at UT Austin, for example) when you zoom in close enough. Mystery solved!" I'd like to think that there really are (or were) drones over Austin, but would also like to see Google's explanation for the close-up images.

6 of 141 comments (clear)

  1. You don't know if the new images are from drones, by apparently · · Score: 5, Insightful

    yet you state that in your headline anyway?
    Brilliant.

  2. It's old news by sanchom · · Score: 4, Informative

    http://google-latlong.blogspot.com/2009/12/changing-your-perspective.html Just starting to be available in more places it looks like.

  3. Re:You don't know if the new images are from drone by MWP-AU · · Score: 5, Informative

    Actually, yes, sort of... the majority of the higher res images on Google Maps, is taken from light aircraft fitted with specialized camera equipment.
    The imagery is taken most for surveying, council and real-estate uses, not for applications like Google Maps.
    I would bet the Austin imagery is also done this way.

    As an example, http://nearmap.com/ offers quite high res imagery.
    Its mentioned here they the photos are taken with low flying aircraft: http://www.nearmap.com/products/photomap-coverage

  4. Re:You don't know if the new images are from drone by east+coast · · Score: 4, Informative

    It seems that this is a joint effort with Sanborn given the copyright notice on the bottom of the image. Sanborn uses LiDAR as one of it's tools.

    I'd also like to note that Bing has had areas covered with a similar angular mapping for a while. Their images are tagged with the name Pictometry.

    So, yes, it seems it is a "guy taking pictures out of a Cessna". Or something close to it.

    --
    Dedicated Cthulhu Cultist since 4523 BC.
  5. It's not drones by deapbluesea · · Score: 4, Informative

    Drones are illegal in the US without a Certificate to Operate from the FAA. The FAA does not provide CtO's lightly, nor have they ever granted one for operation over a populated area...and before anyone links to DIY Drones, this rule is for corporations, not individuals who operate under r/c rules (under 400 ft AGL, within sight without any vision enhancement devices such as binoculars).

    --
    Government is not reason; it is not eloquent; it is force. Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master.
  6. Re:You don't know if the new images are from drone by icebike · · Score: 4, Informative

    Ummm.... if it's "non-satellite imagery," where else could it be from?
    I'd think a guy taking pictures out of a Cessna wouldn't be very economical long-term compared to a drone.

    Lots of imagery on Google Earth and Google Maps is non-satellite imagery when you zoom in close. Look at Downtown Seattle some time. You can see the sides of buildings.

    Google gets images from a lot of places. In the case of Seattle and NYC the images were taken by aircraft under contract to the city for their own use, and purchased by Google. The resolution is almost as good as the UT Austin images. You can see some weird leaning buildings in Google Earth.

    These images were there long before Google even announced the purchase of these drones.

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