There are many different kinds of high resolution imagery. Some are satellite, aerial, spatial, and ultra. Let’s look at a few of the most common ones. Which one is the best choice for you? What are some common uses for high resolution imagery? And where can you find these images? Read on to learn more. Hopefully, the information above will help you decide whether high resolution imagery is right for your project. If not, you may want to consider other types.
Satellite
High-resolution satellite imagery can provide a unique perspective of the area you’re interested in. While not all imagery is created equal, the quality of the images is vital for making important decisions. Low-resolution imagery only reveals large environmental bodies, whereas high-resolution imagery reveals smaller details, such as people or buildings. High-resolution imagery is useful in many situations, from determining the location of an earthquake to mapping the terrain.
The quality of high-resolution satellite imagery has improved over the past two decades. New satellites are being launched with high-performance sensors, enabling users to acquire images with an incredible level of detail. Historically, this imagery was only accessible to government agencies and military agencies. Now, commercial satellites can be used for a variety of purposes. Using high-resolution satellite imagery, you can pinpoint the exact location of any object with ease. You can also use commercial high-resolution satellites to ensure you receive a high-resolution satellite image of a specific location.
High-resolution satellite imagery allows you to detect the smallest changes in an area. A high-resolution satellite image can detect tiny changes of just two to three square meters. This information is particularly useful when you’re trying to detect the presence of dangerous or hazardous environments. For example, satellite imagery provides important insights into the environment and agriculture of remote areas. Furthermore, it can cut the number of in-field inspections. If you’re considering satellite imagery, make sure you check out the available archives.
Aerial
Aerial imagery can be divided into high-resolution and low-resolution versions. High-resolution imagery has a smaller denomination than low-resolution imagery. For example, current NAIP imagery is collected at a 1-meter resolution, which provides plenty of detail to view structures. Older, lower-resolution imagery is closer to a 2-meter resolution. High-resolution photos also have larger file sizes, which makes them difficult to manipulate or export.
In addition to identifying trouble areas, high-resolution imagery also allows facility managers to assess other areas of the facility. Roofs and HVAC systems are critical components of an overall maintenance plan, and aerial imagery helps to identify damage or deterioration. Similarly, underground pipes are vulnerable to tree roots, which can damage old, vitrified clay pipes. The images from high-resolution aerial photography can identify potential trouble areas, and maintenance personnel can then monitor them closely to ensure that the lines remain operational.
Aerial imagery can reveal potential liabilities for insurers. Companies such as Vexcel have been developing innovative image capture systems that use high-resolution aerial imagery. These products can also be used by drone pilots in crisis areas, or to trace a structure from their home. These tools are not just helpful for building managers, but for landscape designers, architects, and property owners. These images can help them make better decisions about the safety of their property.
Ultra
The technology of ultra-high resolution imagery has made it easier to capture information about remote areas of Earth. These images can be used to monitor human activity and to detect objects and trends. Ultra-high resolution imagery is used to assess the health and safety of citizens living in remote areas. A high-resolution image can be acquired in less than one meter per pixel, thereby making it suitable for applying algorithms for object detection and trends. These satellites also allow scientists to study complex terrain and detect hidden hazards, such as oil spills.
Today, only a few companies provide this kind of data for commercial use. Near Space Labs, a Brooklyn-based Earth-observing company, is the only one providing imagery at this resolution on a commercial basis. But it will not be long before another company begins offering this high resolution imagery. Albedo, another space-observing company, is developing satellites that will supply such high-resolution imagery by 2023 or 2024.
Spatial
In terms of resolution, high spatial resolution means an image has greater detail, and a higher spatial scale means fewer pixels. In other words, a pixel in an image at high resolution contains more information, but the cost is in storage. A one-meter-resolution 8-bit image would fill 78,400 CD-ROM disks, and a stacked stack of 250 feet would contain one kilometer of data. To minimize storage requirements, the data is compressed to reduce its size, but still requiring high processing costs.
High resolution imagery comes at a price. High resolution imagery is very expensive, and often the highest resolution is produced by a commercial satellite. However, its use is limited to specific applications, and it is often not used for large areas. For those who want to view a small area, medium resolution imagery is usually the best choice. There is also a wide range of applications for medium to low resolution imagery, and most of them are free.
Night
High resolution imagery of night from satellites can help rescue crews assess the conditions in areas with impassable roads. These images are valuable to scientists as they can provide useful data about natural disasters and other events. In the case of hurricane Maria, this imagery proved invaluable when researchers compiled before-and-after images from satellites and high-resolution data from OpenStreetMap to examine the damage caused by Hurricane Maria. The process of composing images must be carefully controlled to avoid misleading conclusions.
High resolution imagery of night can also help identify the causes of diffuse glow around brightly lit cities. This effect has been observed in nighttime satellite imagery since the late 1990s and is usually referred to as “sensor error” or “blooming.”
Real time
Real time high resolution imagery provides a wide range of information about Earth’s atmosphere and climate. Satellites like the NOAA GOES program provide real time imagery of North America, South America, and the Pacific Ocean. High resolution imagery is available in visible light, infrared, and geocolor. The GLOBE Program provides lessons on data collection, analysis, and interpretation. High resolution imagery is provided by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS).
These images are made available to the public through the NOAA Satellite and Information Service. The service’s high resolution satellite imagery provides a range of applications, including weather forecasts, maps, and historical data. These images can be used to make important decisions, such as evaluating the effects of global warming on the climate. They are also useful for determining land use and the impacts of natural disasters and other problems. However, real time imagery is not always available.
To access high resolution satellite data, users can use free online services like Google Earth. These services allow users to view satellite data at different resolutions, and are frequently updated with new satellite imagery. The data can be downloaded from Google, but it must be used responsibly, as it may contain inaccurate or incorrect information. However, you must be aware of the various licenses and terms of usage. You may want to use free high resolution data for humanitarian purposes only.
Alaska
If you want to know what the state of Alaska looks like, a satellite image at 250 meters per pixel gives you an astonishing picture. It is 88.8 inches wide and 13320 pixels high, and the image is four-hundred and twenty-three megabytes in size. The Alaska Statewide Digital Mapping Initiative created this high resolution image. The satellites used to collect the imagery have very different resolutions. However, these higher-resolution satellite images are incredibly useful for studying landscapes, identifying wildlife habitat, and figuring out the river hazards. In addition to this, you can even get a glimpse of individual trees and see how they differ in size and shape.
The Barrow, Alaska area is of focused scientific interest. The products are available in GeoTIFF and ESRI Shapefile format, with metadata that conforms to the FGDC standard. The Barrow Triangle region has a high-resolution ORRI and DEM imagery, and the area around the town of Barrow is covered by a georectified air photo mosaic. You can also obtain data in IFSAR or interferometric synthetic aperture radar (IFSAR) imagery.
Google earth
If you want to use high resolution imagery on Google Earth, you need to download the Google Earth Pro app. The pro version lets you save and print high-resolution images. The app supports up to 4,800-pixel resolution images. There are two ways to export your images from Google Earth. In order to save high-resolution images, you should turn off map options and set scaling to 1%. You can also optimize the size of the saved image by setting its maximum resolution to 4,800 pixels.
Depending on the source, the imagery on Google Earth can vary in quality. Some images are high resolution, while others are not. Google Earth’s imagery is usually not updated live from satellites. While it does use satellite images from commercial image providers and government agencies, it updates its image set in batches. For example, you can view images from a city at a higher resolution if you live in a large city.