Geospatial image update captures changing landscape
(CNS): The Cayman Islands Department of Lands and Survey, using a specialist private company, has completed an updated aerial image survey of the three Cayman Islands showing the state of the landscape, as captured in February 2023, including topographic data such as buildings and roads. The project used state-of-the-art technology to capture orthomosaic imagery, which is aerial photography that has been corrected for lens distortion, camera tilt, perspective and topographic relief.
According to a government press release, this survey has been updated every four years for over two decades, and the last update of this scale was conducted in April 2018. It serves as a crucial tool for various departments, including the Department of Environment, the Department of Planning and the National Roads Authority, and is extensively used for development planning, environmental monitoring, coastline changes, boundary dispute resolution, court cases and accident reconstruction.
UK-based aerial imaging experts Bluesky International Ltd, operating from a specialised fixed-wing aircraft, used a Vexcel UltraCam Eagle M3 camera to capture high-resolution imagery.
“The Aerial Survey 2023 is instrumental in providing accurate and up-to-date geospatial information for various sectors,” said Chief Surveyor Darren Kelly, who oversaw the project. “It not only documents changes to the landscape over the past four years but also supports informed decision-making for a sustainable future.”
Lands and Survey Director Uche Obi said the aerial photography was critical to the Cayman Islands and provided valuable information to emergency services like 911, the RCIPS, and the Cayman Islands Fire Service. “It also plays a vital role in government decision-making and contributes as a revenue source to the Lands and Survey’s geographical information system.”
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Category: Land Habitat, Science & Nature
When it was announced that the aerial photography was complete, I was eagerly anticipating the crisp new imagery that I thought was going to be made possible by advances in technology. Then the images finally came out.
Damn!
I was truly shocked and sorely disappointed when I saw the very poor quality of the images as compared to the old ones they replaced. Did the department not have any contract specification in regard to quality and resolution? Was there no sampling and inspection of the images as the project began and progressed?
In light of advancing digital imaging technology and the high cost of the subscriptions to access the site, the imaging is total garbage to say the least. My $80 dollar from Amazon cheap Made in China drone delivers far better images.
Director Uche Obie should be hanging his head in shame over wasting our money on this failed project.
Every time I access the CaymanLandInfo site and see the images, I am angered at the waste and that that we will have to live with this crummy imaging for at least the next three years.
Useful but poor quality and a year old already!
so civil service can’t add either…
images are normally uploaded every 5 years…not every 4 years….and this time it was a 6 year gap…
welcome to wonderland and pass me the headache pills
the usual civil service nonsense….
the images were uploaded a year late and are worse in quality than images from 2008.
absolute waste of time.
if this was private sector, heads would roll.
That is amazing work from Lands & Survey; the pictures were taking in February 2023 and have already been processed and uploaded to their website in February 2024.
Truly tireless & world-class work from our civil servants!
Would like this imagery to help plotting running routes, can it be shared please google maps is shocking…
$10 for a licence from L&S and it’s yours.
Link?
$3000 according to Lands & Survey
More like $10,000 per year
this is just as bad…and already a year old…
Google maps is more up to date….
Not at all impressed with the quality. Way over exposed images and lower resolution than the last three…
Where did you get the images? Did you buy them?
Can this imagery be made publicly available? I know L&S sells printed and digital maps with a wide variety of “added value” annotations like lot lines, block&parcel numbers, etc.
But can’t we have access to just the images? This could be done without any effort by L&S by posting online.
just ask DDL…they are by far the best surveying firm on island.
you mean cheapest!
nope…best.
Ask them for free image set?
No. Public pay twice… once for the survey itself out of the public purse, then a double whammy fee when you want to see.
Times are hard and people are starting to wake up to the Tax bill ergggh. fees, Uh O spagehitto