Aerial Mapping In California Made Easy | The Communication Blog

Monday, March 22, 2010

Aerial Mapping In California Made Easy

By Jack Bodley

Many companies and non profit agencies take aerial pictures of the earth's surface that are used for a variety of purposes. Maps and pictures are created of the ground surface of the state. An aerial mapping company can do mapping through a variety of scientific techniques, including producing a Geographic Information System (GIS), topographic mapping, orthophotography, and aerial volume studies.

Developers, planners, realtors, civil engineers, and public planners use these companies. Aerial mapping is also used in preparing environmental impact reports. The scale of the surveys can vary from individual property boundaries to reviewing subdivision and township borders.

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are being installed by government agencies in order to be prepared for major disasters where emergency workers need the locations of important sites such as schools, hospitals and telephone and electrical stations. A GIS combines a topographic map with overlays showing these critical locations. This information can be accessed through units similar to the GPS units now available in many cars for location and mapping information.

Non profit organizations such as the California Coastal Records Project, which produces aerial photographic surveys of the California Coastline, also make use of aerial mapping companies in California. Other non-profits using aerial surveys include Cal State Northridge, California Aerial and Acoustic Sardine Survey, and Whittier College.

Aerial mapping is used to develop topographic and hydrographic mapping. Contour overlays are added to create the commonly known "topo" map, produced by the United States Forest Service for Forest Service and Wilderness lands. The US Geographical Survey (USGS) has jointly managed Land Sat, or Land Remote Sensing Satellite system, with NASA since 1972, to gather information about the earth's surface resources. This data is available and used by aerial mapping companies.

A problem with aerial photography is that the pictures will show the curvature of the earth, which becomes a distortion when placed on a flat map. In Orthophotography, computer assisted adjustments are made so that distances on the map can be measured to scale with correct distances. The curve of the earth is eliminated in spite of the distance from which the picture is taken.

Aerial Mapping services are based throughout California. Some are based in areas of specific interest, such as aerial photos of hot air balloon trips and even weddings. Traditional surveying and mapping is provided by companies based from Northern California to the Mexican border.

Private services provided by an aerial mapping company California will incorporate government and university projects as needed for a particular project. Many companies have been in business for decades. The educated consumer will benefit by researching the particular specialties offered by different companies that will best match their needs.

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