California Aerial Mapping Made Easy
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 can do mapping through a variety of scientific techniques, including producing a Geographic Information System (GIS), topographic mapping, orthophotography, and aerial volume studies.
Many engineering firms and real estate developers use these services. Planners and civil engineers produce proposals and environmental impact reports. The scale of these surveys ranges from resolution of small individual property boundaries to resurveying subdivisions and townships.
Government agencies may use an aerial mapping company in California to develop Geographic Information Systems (GIS). A GIS is a topographic map showing the placement of sites such as fire stations, hospitals, schools, electrical and telephone switch stations and other infrastructure lines. These maps are invaluable in cases of large scale disaster such as the Kansas City or World Trade Center bombings.
Aerial survey information is used by many non-profit organizations doing work on conservation, water use and large scale photographic surveys such as that produced by the California Coastal Records Project. Cal State Northridge, Whittier College, and the California aerial and Acoustic Sardine Survey are examples of agencies that use the services provided by aerial mappers.
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.
Orthophotography, used by many companies, is the practice of correcting aerial photographs so the resulting photographs show the same uniform scale as a flat map. Thus distances can be measured to actual scale, showing correct distances since the map has been adjusted to account for the curve of the earth’s surface shown in the original aerial photograph.
California Aerial Mapping Company resources are almost unlimited with companies based in the far north state, such as the Smith River, to San Diego. Services vary from more traditional surveying and mapping functions to the exotic, including aerial event photography for weddings, hot air balloons and scenic vistas.
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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