Aerial Photography: An Introduction Page 2 of 4 There are two main types of aerial photographs vertical and oblique, each with their own uses. Aerial photography was the first method of remote sensing and remains the most popular and widely used method due the following advantages: Availability Available at a wide range of scales worldwide Economy Provides a cheaper field survey and can be more accurate than maps in many countries Synoptic viewpoint Detects small-sale features and spatial relationships not evident from the ground Time freezing ability Provides a record of the Earth's surface at one point in time, therefore creating an historical record Spectral/Spatial resolution Sensitive to radiation outside spectoral sensitivity of human eye - senses both ultraviolet and near infrared radiation (can be compared to a human detecting an ant from the top St. Paul's Cathedral) Three-D perspective Vertical aerial photography is limited by the lack of apparent relief. However, a stereoscopic view of the Earth's surface can be created and measured both horizontally and vertically. This characteristic is lacking in the majority of remote sensing images.   | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4| Page 2 of 4