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Google Earth’s Incredible 3D Imagery, Explained

Nat and Friends · 3.1M views · 2017-04-18 · 8:09

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Overview

A short explainer from Nat and Friends on where Google Earth's 3D imagery comes from, how it is stitched together, and how often it is updated. It describes aircraft carrying camera rigs and photogrammetry that turns the photos into 3D models.

On Hacker News

People link it as the quick answer to how Google builds 3D maps, and as evidence that planes are still used to capture the imagery.

Recommended by 2 HN people across 2 months · HN mentions 2017–2022

Topics

Computer graphics & renderingData visualization & information design
Search by tags
google earthphotogrammetryaerial imagerysatellite imagerymaps

What people said

Hokusai · 2020-08 · Recommendation

I have been spending some time on the Virtual Reality version of Google Earth, and it is amazing to see the world in 3D from inside. Here there is a video on how Google creates the 3D for Google Earth: [VIDEO] I hope to see more of this technologies as it is great to visit places without leaving home.

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angch · 2017-12 · Recommendation

They fly their own planes these days. [LINK] Too bad it's a video. Fast forward about 2 minutes. Or: [VIDEO] Fly plane. Zig zag. 5 cameras, then photogrammetry. StreetView, from planes.

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reportingsjr · 2022-01 · Reference

Hmm, I'm curious about your first claim! I can't find anything more recent than ~2017[0], but they were still using Airplanes to gather imagery for the 3D maps. I'm pretty sure this is still the case, as urban area resolution is way higher than available non military satellite imagery. 0: [VIDEO]

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Sources

Video by Nat and Friends, played through YouTube.

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