Learn Why So Many Industries Are Using Aerial Photography
Aerial photography is a type of photography that captures images from the sky. It can be used for a variety of purposes, including capturing photos of landscapes and natural beauty, mapping features on the ground by taking pictures from above, or even documenting construction projects as they are underway. This blog post will discuss what aerial photography is and how it is used today.
In recent years aerial photography has been utilised in an increasing number of applications from military operations to film production.
Military Aerial Photography
Military uses include using unmanned drones that can be deployed into dangerous areas where the risk to military personnel is high, such as documenting targets or battlefields from above. General military applications include land surveying whereby detailed images are captured by a drone operated at height to precisely measure the land.
Film Production Aerial Photography
The use of drones as film production tools is also on the rise, with filmmakers employing them to capture aerial footage for action sequences in Hollywood movies such as Transformers: Age of Extinction and Edge of Tomorrow. One filmmaker even created an entire movie using only drone shots!
Property Aerial Photography
Many commercial businesses are taking advantage of the many benefits that aerial photography can offer. Property developers, for example, are using drones to take panoramic images of their future developments. This allows them to plan the layout with greater accuracy and detail than is possible on foot alone. Other applications for the property sector include estate agents capturing aerial views of homes to enhance their marketing materials and attract prospective buyers.
Forestry, Farming & Agriculture Aerial Photography
Aerial imaging can be used in a variety of industries from forestry to farming, as well as many others that involve exploring environments or documenting changes over time. The agricultural sector is benefitting from aerial photography with the ability to use it for crop surveillance, livestock and wildlife monitoring as well as assessing land potential. The geographical information captured by these types of images can be used in a variety of ways, beyond simply viewing or taking pictures. For example, they can help farmers plan their crops more efficiently.
Environmental Science & Conservation Aerial Photography
Environmental science, wildlife conservation and mapping remote areas. Environment scientists use images to assess the health of ecosystems or identify changes in geography due to erosion, deforestation or pollution levels as well as monitor changing land features like glaciers and ice sheets.
Emergency Services Aerial Photography
Aerial photography has proven to be invaluable for emergency services and the military due to its ability to provide a bird’s eye view of an area with minimal disruption. This enhances situational awareness by showing all aspects of the scene in one overview, making it quicker and easier to spot threats or respond appropriately. For example, search-and-rescue operations.
Most recently, aerial photography has been utilised by firefighters to detect the spread of fires in difficult terrain inaccessible from ground level. This particular application provides real-time panoramic views which are streamed directly into incident command systems on the ground.
Government Aerial Photography
Aerial photography is also used in the government sector, such as for law enforcement or infrastructure studies. The ability to get a close-up perspective of an area without disturbing it has given rise to many uses that can't be achieved using traditional methods, particularly when trying to pinpoint areas of interest and identify disturbances within larger structures like roads
Some government organisations have now begun to use aerial photography in place of satellite imagery for mapping and surveillance purposes.
Inspection Aerial Photography
Inspections are another area that has seen a rise in the utilisation of aerial photography, particularly since the advent of drone technology making aerial imaging significantly more safe and cost-effective than manned inspections.
With all these different uses for aerial photography, whatever field you operate in, there are endless opportunities for capturing ground-breaking imagery that will make your business stand apart.