aerial photograph
Picture from above
An aerial photograph is a picture taken from above the ground, typically from an aircraft, drone, or satellite.
Such photographs serve purposes ranging from military reconnaissance and urban planning to real estate marketing and environmental monitoring.
Unlike ground-level photography, aerial photographs reveal patterns, boundaries, and spatial relationships invisible from the surface.
The aerial photograph showed how much the coastline had eroded over the past decade.
Information-gathering before action
- surveillanceSystematic observation of subjects
- intelligenceMental ability, cognitive capacity
- overflightTransit through airspace
- missionPurpose-driven task
tactical · strategic · target · drone · aircraft · sortie · troop movement · installation
Diagram of correspondences
- surveyingMeasuring and charting terrain
- GISSpatial data framework
- geospatialRelating to earth-position data
- georeferencingAligning data to Earth coordinates
cadastral · contour lines · scale · grid · elevation · land use · zoning · plat
Physical feature mapping
- terrainLand's physical features
- sceneryVisible natural surroundings
- panoramaUnobstructed wide-angle view
- vistaPleasing distant scene
coastline · mountains · valley · river · forest · countryside · wetlands · glacier
View from high above
- top-downDirected from highest level
- obliqueAngled, not straightforward
- altitudeMeasured height above reference
- vantagePosition of advantage
overview · wide-angle · nadir · tilt · foreshortening · horizon · shadow · relief
Earth views from orbit
- LIDARLight-based distance measurement
- infraredHeat-bearing electromagnetic waves
- multispectralSpanning several wavelength ranges
- hyperspectralImaging beyond visible spectrum
sensor · resolution · pixel · spectral · thermography · data capture · calibration · band
reconnaissance
Information-gathering before action
- surveillanceSystematic observation of subjects
- intelligenceMental ability, cognitive capacity
- overflightTransit through airspace
mission · tactical · strategic · target · drone · aircraft · sortie · troop movement · installation · battlefield
mapping
Diagram of correspondences
- surveyingMeasuring and charting terrain
- GISSpatial data framework
- geospatialRelating to earth-position data
georeferencing · cadastral · contour lines · scale · grid · elevation · land use · zoning · plat · photogrammetry
topography
Physical feature mapping
- terrainLand's physical features
- sceneryVisible natural surroundings
- panoramaUnobstructed wide-angle view
vista · coastline · mountains · valley · river · forest · countryside · wetlands · glacier · desert
bird's-eye
View from high above
- top-downDirected from highest level
- obliqueAngled, not straightforward
- altitudeMeasured height above reference
vantage · overview · wide-angle · nadir · tilt · foreshortening · horizon · shadow · relief · depth
satellite imagery
Earth views from orbit
- LIDARLight-based distance measurement
- infraredHeat-bearing electromagnetic waves
- multispectralSpanning several wavelength ranges
hyperspectral · sensor · resolution · pixel · spectral · thermography · data capture · calibration · band · reflectance