The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Earth Resources Observation and Science Center (EROS) can only certify that the product downloaded through our website is an authentic reproduction of an official record of the government that is in the legal custody of the USGS EROS Center.
See the standard Authenticity of Digital Imagery document.
Related Content
Are the scanned aerial photographic images georectified?
Scans of traditional aerial photography film products (air photos) are not georectified.The USGS does, however, offer several orthoimagery (georectified aerial photograph) products:Digital Orthophoto Quadrangle (DOQ)High Resolution Orthoimagery (HRO)National Agriculture Imagery Program (NAIP, NAIP Plus)NAIP orthoimagery has been collected for the entire conterminous United States every 3 years...
How much area does an aerial photograph cover?
The area covered by an aerial photograph (air photo) depends on the scale of the imagery. Most air photos were taken on 9 x 9 inch film. The chart below reflects coverage for a variety of photographic scales.Scale1 inch = feet1 side (miles)Area (square miles)1:12,00010001.702.91:20,00016672.848.11:24,00020003.4111.61:40,00033335.6832.31:58,00048338.2367.731:63,36052809.0081.001:80,000666711.36129...
Is there a cost for aerial photograph products?
Download medium-resolution scans (400 dpi) of aerial photography products at no charge using EarthExplorer. We are working on high-resolution scans (25 micron or 1,000 dpi) that can also be downloaded at no charge. With over 8.4 million frames of imagery in our archive, scanning will take many years to complete, but about 80% of high-resolution scans are currently available. If you can't find a...
What do the different colors in a color-infrared aerial photograph represent?
Color-infrared (CIR) aerial photography--often called "false color" photography because it renders the scene in colors not normally seen by the human eye--is widely used for interpretation of natural resources. Atmospheric haze does not interfere with the acquisition of the image.Live vegetation is almost always associated with red tones. Very intense reds indicate dense, vigorously growing...
Will I be able to see my house in an aerial photograph? Will enlarging the image let me see more detail?
The ability to see specific items in an aerial image is mostly a function of scale and resolution. The following aerial photography products all have a resolution of 1 meter or better, so you should be able to see an object the size of a house: High Resolution Orthoimagery (HRO) National Agriculture Imagery Program (NAIP) imagery Digital Orthophoto Quadrangle (DOQ) Use EarthExplorer to search for...
Related Content
- FAQ
Are the scanned aerial photographic images georectified?
Scans of traditional aerial photography film products (air photos) are not georectified.The USGS does, however, offer several orthoimagery (georectified aerial photograph) products:Digital Orthophoto Quadrangle (DOQ)High Resolution Orthoimagery (HRO)National Agriculture Imagery Program (NAIP, NAIP Plus)NAIP orthoimagery has been collected for the entire conterminous United States every 3 years...
How much area does an aerial photograph cover?
The area covered by an aerial photograph (air photo) depends on the scale of the imagery. Most air photos were taken on 9 x 9 inch film. The chart below reflects coverage for a variety of photographic scales.Scale1 inch = feet1 side (miles)Area (square miles)1:12,00010001.702.91:20,00016672.848.11:24,00020003.4111.61:40,00033335.6832.31:58,00048338.2367.731:63,36052809.0081.001:80,000666711.36129...
Is there a cost for aerial photograph products?
Download medium-resolution scans (400 dpi) of aerial photography products at no charge using EarthExplorer. We are working on high-resolution scans (25 micron or 1,000 dpi) that can also be downloaded at no charge. With over 8.4 million frames of imagery in our archive, scanning will take many years to complete, but about 80% of high-resolution scans are currently available. If you can't find a...
What do the different colors in a color-infrared aerial photograph represent?
Color-infrared (CIR) aerial photography--often called "false color" photography because it renders the scene in colors not normally seen by the human eye--is widely used for interpretation of natural resources. Atmospheric haze does not interfere with the acquisition of the image.Live vegetation is almost always associated with red tones. Very intense reds indicate dense, vigorously growing...
Will I be able to see my house in an aerial photograph? Will enlarging the image let me see more detail?
The ability to see specific items in an aerial image is mostly a function of scale and resolution. The following aerial photography products all have a resolution of 1 meter or better, so you should be able to see an object the size of a house: High Resolution Orthoimagery (HRO) National Agriculture Imagery Program (NAIP) imagery Digital Orthophoto Quadrangle (DOQ) Use EarthExplorer to search for...
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