Every aerial or satellite image you see on Google Earth, on The Weather Channel, or in the pages of this magazine was taken with a camera made by one of a handful of manufacturers that specialize in the sensors used for photogrammetry, remote sensing, and mapping — three growing markets that are rapidly converging. Five years ago, the aerial imaging industry was focused mostly on the transition from analog film cameras to digital ones. Since, manufacturers have increased the productivity of their cameras, making significant improvements in area coverage, image quality, and workflow — covering larger areas, at higher resolution, in less time.

The increased footprint saves users money by allowing them to fly fewer lines. While resolution has skyrocketed – for example, medium-format sensors have grown from 16 MP (megapixels) to 60 MP in just five years – manufacturers are focusing more and more on automating the workflow — that is, on providing their customers with more efficient ways to extract, process, analyze, store, and distribute the massive amounts of data that the latest generation of sensors capture.

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