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 the aerial photography resolution that fits your needs. In the "Additional Criteria" tab, indicate the desired scale range using the "Scale" option. Scales of 1:500 to 1:24,000 are best for identifying buildings. Scales of 1:20,000 to 1:80,000 work well for agriculture and geologic interpretation. Scales in excess of 1:100,000 provide regional assessment information.
Enlarging an aerial photograph will only make the object bigger; it will not add more detail in the object. Photographic resolution (image resolution) deteriorates with each enlargement.
Learn more:
Related Content
What is a digital orthophoto quadrangle (DOQ) or orthoimage?
Are the scanned aerial photographic images georectified?
How often is orthoimagery in The National Map updated and what are the acquisition dates?
How do I download orthoimagery products and what are the available formats?
Is there a cost for aerial photograph products?
What do the different colors in a color-infrared aerial photograph represent?
How much area does an aerial photograph cover?
Time series of high-resolution images enhances efforts to monitor post-fire condition and recovery, Waldo Canyon fire, Colorado, USA
Interpretations of post-fire condition and rates of vegetation recovery can influence management priorities, actions and perception of latent risks from landslides and floods. In this study, we used the Waldo Canyon fire (2012, Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA) as a case study to explore how a time series (2011–2016) of high-resolution images can...
Vanderhoof, Melanie K.; Burt, Clifton; Hawbaker, Todd J. Spatially explicit rangeland erosion monitoring using high-resolution digital aerial imagery
Nearly all of the ecosystem services supported by rangelands, including production of livestock forage, carbon sequestration, and provisioning of clean water, are negatively impacted by soil erosion. Accordingly, monitoring the severity, spatial extent, and rate of soil erosion is essential for long-term sustainable management. Traditional field-...
Gillan, Jeffrey K.; Karl, Jason W.; Barger, Nichole N.; Elaksher, Ahmed; Duniway, Michael C.
Using high-resolution digital aerial imagery to map land cover
The Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center (UMESC) has used aerial photography to map land cover/land use on federally owned and managed lands for over 20 years. Until recently, that process used 23- by 23-centimeter (9- by 9-inch) analog aerial photos to classify vegetation along the Upper Mississippi River System, on National Wildlife...
Dieck, J.J.; Robinson, Larry
Digital orthoimagery base specification V1.0
The resolution requirement for orthoimagery in support of the The National Map of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is 1 meter. However, as the Office of Management and Budget A-16 designated Federal agency responsible for base orthoimagery, the USGS National Geospatial Program (NGP) has developed this base specification to include higher...
Rufe, Philip P.
Aerial Photo Scan Reveals Rare Image of Two Airplanes in Flight
Every work day at the USGS Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center, contractor Mike Austad pulls up a chair and begins scanning aerial photographs of the Earth’s surface into the massive public database that is EarthExplorer.
Hazards Data Distribution System Releases Thousands of Aerial Images of Kilauea Impact
The eruptive behavior of the Kilauea volcano that began in May 2018 on Hawaii’s Big Island has created an unparalleled opportunity for understanding volcanic systems.
USGS National Map Orthoimagery Map Services Transition and Other Map Service Changes
As part of The National Map transition to cloud hosting, several of the National Map NAIP Orthoimagery Services will be provided under new URLs.
Orthoimagery of the Maryland State House, Annapolis, Maryland.
Orthoimagery of the Maryland State House, Annapolis, Maryland.
National Agriculture Imagery Program (NAIP)
A full NAIP scene (top) along with a close-up of the landscape detail from this 2011 tile near Waitsburg, Washington.
Before and after images of coastal change caused by Dorian in NC
The Longpoint Cabin Camp in Cape Lookout National Seashore was heavily impacted by Hurricane Dorian’s waves and surge. All of the cabins were damaged and one pavilion is gone altogether. The area is now inaccessible due to the cut from the harbor to the cabins. These cuts were likely formed when surge flowed over the island from the sound side. The dunes in front of the
...
National Agriculture Imagery Program aerial photograph (2014)
National Agriculture Imagery Program aerial photograph (2014) of part of the Upper Missouri River near Poplar, Montana. The river is flowing from left to right. The complex channel may promote retention of boats as well as drifting pallid sturgeon larvae.