Aerial Map Cutting for Large-Scale Terrain

Claudio Branch · January 12th, 2006

I am looking for a piece of software that will allow me to cut aerial maps by entering geographically precise coordinates. The aerial cut then serves as a primary texture on my terrain model. I need the precision to handle large areas of terrain.

Anyone have any ideas or know anyone who does?

colinsmith · January 16th, 2006

I had to cut up some UK DEM files a while back and did some hunting.
These looked useful to me, but I haven't used them for exactly what you need..... maybe a starting point anyhow.
Global Mapper
MicroDEM

I think you're more in the GIS/DEM world, and transfering info is not always the easiest... it might take some experimenting to find the easiest workflow.
The guy developing MicroDEM was very helpful to me though, and made an update specifically to deal with a new DEM format I was stuck with, so if it doesn't already do EXACTLY what you need, it's worth talking with him.

A friend of mine has been working with mapping aerial photos to digital maps, and trying to find software to remove lens/perspective distortions by geo-referencing known points..... he has had a lot of problems there too!
If you're going there.. I think it's going to be hard work.

Claudio Branch · January 16th, 2006

Colin,

thanks for the info.

I appreciate your efforts. I am still learning about GIS and how to use it within large-scale terrains.

Claudio

Hazdaz · January 16th, 2006

Doesn't Google offer something that you could use with it's Google Earth program? or is that not really usable?

Claudio Branch · January 16th, 2006

Yes, but GoogleEarth doesn't seem to allow you to specify the map dimensions by geo-coordinates.

I could be wrong on that...

A package called GeoExpress will, but it requires more cost for the images since it uses SID files.

Wilsonmetry · January 18th, 2006

Google Earth Has a Pro version $$$ that allows some other advanced stuff. Picking by lat/long might be included. Not sure.

January 12th, 2006	#1 (permalink)
Claudio Branch Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Arlington, Texas Age: 43 Posts: 864 Name: Claudio Branch	Aerial Map Cutting for Large-Scale Terrain I am looking for a piece of software that will allow me to cut aerial maps by entering geographically precise coordinates. The aerial cut then serves as a primary texture on my terrain model. I need the precision to handle large areas of terrain. Anyone have any ideas or know anyone who does?

January 16th, 2006	#2 (permalink)
colinsmith Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Shetland Age: 38 Posts: 59 Name: Colin Smith	Re: Aerial Map Cutting for Large-Scale Terrain I had to cut up some UK DEM files a while back and did some hunting. These looked useful to me, but I haven't used them for exactly what you need..... maybe a starting point anyhow. Global Mapper MicroDEM I think you're more in the GIS/DEM world, and transfering info is not always the easiest... it might take some experimenting to find the easiest workflow. The guy developing MicroDEM was very helpful to me though, and made an update specifically to deal with a new DEM format I was stuck with, so if it doesn't already do EXACTLY what you need, it's worth talking with him. A friend of mine has been working with mapping aerial photos to digital maps, and trying to find software to remove lens/perspective distortions by geo-referencing known points..... he has had a lot of problems there too! If you're going there.. I think it's going to be hard work.

January 16th, 2006	#3 (permalink)
Claudio Branch Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Arlington, Texas Age: 43 Posts: 864 Name: Claudio Branch	Re: Aerial Map Cutting for Large-Scale Terrain Colin, thanks for the info. I appreciate your efforts. I am still learning about GIS and how to use it within large-scale terrains. Claudio

January 16th, 2006	#4 (permalink)
Hazdaz Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: the nutmeg state Posts: 325 Name: S E H	Re: Aerial Map Cutting for Large-Scale Terrain Doesn't Google offer something that you could use with it's Google Earth program? or is that not really usable?

January 16th, 2006	#5 (permalink)
Claudio Branch Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Arlington, Texas Age: 43 Posts: 864 Name: Claudio Branch	Re: Aerial Map Cutting for Large-Scale Terrain Yes, but GoogleEarth doesn't seem to allow you to specify the map dimensions by geo-coordinates. I could be wrong on that... A package called GeoExpress will, but it requires more cost for the images since it uses SID files.

January 18th, 2006	#6 (permalink)
Wilsonmetry Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Portland Posts: 8 Name: Kelley Wilson	Re: Aerial Map Cutting for Large-Scale Terrain Google Earth Has a Pro version $$$ that allows some other advanced stuff. Picking by lat/long might be included. Not sure.

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