Trad Gang

Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: Dave Bulla on October 31, 2009, 01:43:00 PM

Title: Best source for aerial photos?
Post by: Dave Bulla on October 31, 2009, 01:43:00 PM
OK, is there a place I can get free aerial photos on line?  I thought something like google earth or something but I went there and it's not photos.  I'm sure I've heard of people getting them.
Title: Re: Best source for aerial photos?
Post by: George D. Stout on October 31, 2009, 01:48:00 PM
Google has the best I have seen, but I haven't perused every one available.
Title: Re: Best source for aerial photos?
Post by: Dave Bulla on October 31, 2009, 01:52:00 PM
Google what?

When I go there, all I find is cartoon drawing/maps.
Title: Re: Best source for aerial photos?
Post by: Dave Bulla on October 31, 2009, 01:53:00 PM
Oh, never mind, just saw the row of keys at the top.  One of them is marked "satellite" and that gets me there.

Thanks.
Title: Re: Best source for aerial photos?
Post by: twitchstick on October 31, 2009, 01:55:00 PM
terraserver-usa.com is another one
Title: Re: Best source for aerial photos?
Post by: kojac on October 31, 2009, 01:57:00 PM
here is the the one I use the most.
 http://mapper.acme.com/

good luck!
Title: Re: Best source for aerial photos?
Post by: snag on October 31, 2009, 03:00:00 PM
Dave, pursue "Google Earth"...great photos and you can zoom in and out, turn the picture to see it 3D, and lots of other features.
Title: Re: Best source for aerial photos?
Post by: akbowbender on October 31, 2009, 03:10:00 PM
You might want to check out the imagery (DOQQ's) at:  http://data.geocomm.com/doqq/  or  http://www.topozone.com/

Your state may also have it's own imagery archive like this one in Michigan:

 http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-10371_14546---,00.html
Title: Re: Best source for aerial photos?
Post by: onewhohasfun on October 31, 2009, 03:54:00 PM
Try Bing Maps. After you get where you want to be, hit the birdseye at the top. Quite impressive.
Title: Re: Best source for aerial photos?
Post by: KentuckyTJ on October 31, 2009, 04:31:00 PM
I second   http://mapper.acme.com/

Only site I've seen that has a topo option. Just navigate to your area and hit the "Terrain" button.
Title: Re: Best source for aerial photos?
Post by: Earl Jeff on October 31, 2009, 04:40:00 PM
usa photo maps, it free
Title: Re: Best source for aerial photos?
Post by: Uncle Buck on October 31, 2009, 04:40:00 PM
If you really want a good picture and have a small local airport near you ask if any of the small plane owners will take a picture for you. I have a friend who used to supplemnt his income taking aerial photos  for around $50 a pop. mostly. He needed the flying hours and was glad to have a way to pay for his gas.
Title: Re: Best source for aerial photos?
Post by: bawana bowman on October 31, 2009, 04:52:00 PM
I normally just use google satellite pics and compare them with 7.5 Topo maps of the area I'm interested in. Anything you find worth noting you can always add to the Topo map. You can get the maps at  http://store.usgs.gov  most maps are only $8.
Best size to work with are 7.5 min / 1:24,000 scale.
Title: Re: Best source for aerial photos?
Post by: Bill Kissner on October 31, 2009, 05:00:00 PM
You can go to your county extension office or government ASCS office and get them.
Title: Re: Best source for aerial photos?
Post by: jimmerc on October 31, 2009, 05:10:00 PM
TRY THIS  
 http://www.bing.com/maps/
 I HAVE IT SETUP FOR 3D VIEWING ALSO, VERY COOL STUFF!!
Title: Re: Best source for aerial photos?
Post by: NoCams on October 31, 2009, 07:14:00 PM
The problem we have around here is that most of the maps online no matter where you go are 10 yrs old ! You are heading out thinking you are going to hunt a nice patch of hardwoods and when you get there it is nothing but a 3-4 yr old clearcut jungle or freshly planted pine plantation. When will we get updated maps ? I did go to my county soil office and got some that were 2 yrs old but have no way to hold a cursor on spots I like like I can do with an online map and write down the Lat/ Long.

nocams
Title: Re: Best source for aerial photos?
Post by: Steve Kendrot on October 31, 2009, 11:32:00 PM
If you want to have control of your imagery you need a GIS program like ArcGIS. Google earth has fairly recent stuff for some areas but probably dated in others. You can save a google earth view to a jpeg and print it if you want a paper copy.
Title: Re: Best source for aerial photos?
Post by: Shleprock on October 31, 2009, 11:41:00 PM
Bing.
Title: Re: Best source for aerial photos?
Post by: Steve Kendrot on October 31, 2009, 11:42:00 PM
By the way Google Maps and Google Earth are two different products.  GE is a program you download. Basic version is free. If you use a garmin gps, you can use the MNDNR garmin extension to create kml files you can load on GE. You can map rubs, stands, trails, etc.

 http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/mis/gis/tools/arcview/extensions/DNRGarmin/DNRGarmin.html
Title: Re: Best source for aerial photos?
Post by: Whitetail Chaser on November 01, 2009, 01:38:00 AM
Those acme maps look like the same as google maps.  On acme or google maps, use the "terrain" function.  It basically gives you topo in an easy to read format.  The USGS topo maps are pretty grainy.

Brett
Title: Re: Best source for aerial photos?
Post by: Dave Bulla on November 01, 2009, 01:05:00 AM
Wow, didn't realize there were so many options.

Now, how hard would it be to superimpose the boundaries from say a state conservation area onto an aerial photo?

And computer savvy I ain't.
Title: Re: Best source for aerial photos?
Post by: Joe D on November 01, 2009, 08:33:00 AM
Here's one that I've used in the past. When I need printed indestructible maps of specific areas.  www.mytopo.com (http://www.mytopo.com)    :)
Title: Re: Best source for aerial photos?
Post by: highPlains on November 01, 2009, 11:50:00 AM
Bing, use the birdseye view if it's available in your area. It's the best!
Title: Re: Best source for aerial photos?
Post by: GingivitisKahn on November 01, 2009, 01:17:00 PM
I like Bing maps (the aerial ones).
Title: Re: Best source for aerial photos?
Post by: Steve Kendrot on November 01, 2009, 03:15:00 PM
It's easy with the right tools Dave. You can do a search for layers that are available in Google earth. Someone might have created them. Many states have ArcView shapefiles of state boundaries. They can be converted to kml files which can be loaded in Google earth. I have done it for the areas I hunt in MD.
Title: Re: Best source for aerial photos?
Post by: Steve Kendrot on November 01, 2009, 03:23:00 PM
Dave,

Assuming you are in MO, they appear to have boundaries for download at:

 http://msdis.missouri.edu/datasearch/ThemeList.jsp

Not sure if you would want DOC or DNR lands. PM me and I'll see if I can help you out.
Title: Re: Best source for aerial photos?
Post by: Steve Kendrot on November 01, 2009, 07:02:00 PM
Well, That was pretty easy Dave. I downloaded the property boundaries from the website above and loaded them into arcmap. I then converted them to kmz files that open up in Google earth. Send me your email address and I will email the files to you. You can open them in google earth (which you must first download and install from   http://earth.google.com/index.html   ). I tested them on my computer and it looks fine. Now all I need is all your best spots....    :bigsmyl:      :bigsmyl:
Title: Re: Best source for aerial photos?
Post by: kirkwhitehead on November 01, 2009, 08:13:00 PM
NRCS has web soil survey online and you can also get ecological info for an area. Soil types, historic climax plants, ect..

Really a neat thing to mess with. Printed soil surveys are a thing of the past and NRCS is now helping landowners use this site for basic info.

Kirk
Title: Re: Best source for aerial photos?
Post by: lpcjon2 on November 02, 2009, 08:06:00 PM
Try Windows Live Local it is pretty good.
Title: Re: Best source for aerial photos?
Post by: Steve Kendrot on November 08, 2009, 06:17:00 AM
Dave, did you get the files I sent to the email in your profile?
Title: Re: Best source for aerial photos?
Post by: lpcjon2 on November 08, 2009, 08:35:00 AM
Windows Live Local are pretty good
Title: Re: Best source for aerial photos?
Post by: metsastaja on November 08, 2009, 08:53:00 AM
I use google earth. you can download it free. If you use a gps unit you can download waypoints, routes and tracks onto it and save them.

By using a combination of topo and aerial you can get a very good picture of the land before even being there.
Title: Re: Best source for aerial photos?
Post by: newell38 on November 08, 2009, 09:23:00 AM
they are all the same picture.  just look at the cars parked in front of your house!
Title: Re: Best source for aerial photos?
Post by: lpcjon2 on November 08, 2009, 10:44:00 AM
Windows live local is more up to date than google earth. but google will allow you to get within 20ft in a picture windows I think is only 75ft.I believe the newness of the image has to do with whatever server is connecting to what satellite and when they update.
Title: Re: Best source for aerial photos?
Post by: snag on November 08, 2009, 10:58:00 AM
Is there a way to open the map screen up larger on the EarthExplorer site? It's a great map site...just kind of irrating with the little block of space for the map with all this other stuff around it that isn't necessary.
Title: Re: Best source for aerial photos?
Post by: lpcjon2 on November 08, 2009, 11:17:00 AM
Just a thought if you contact your state geo. office you should be able to get copies of any topo. map in that state in New Jersey I got them for $5.00 each.