Was thinking about this earlier after looking around on google maps – do the satellites have to wait until there is a clear day? How do they ensure they don’t capture birds/planes/clouds etc? Also, how do they make sure that the photos are clear from such a distance?
In: Technology
The satellites that take those pictures are constantly orbiting and shooting. Google earth composites best quality clear photos into their products. They also composite some other sources but most of theirs come from commercial imagery satellites. The satellites also take photos during times of cloud cover, you just don’t see those. Many organizations also utilize commercial imagery from these satellites for all sorts of uses.
Source: I’m a former imagery analyst who utilized commercial imagery for the department of defense.
Those images are mostly from aircraft, not satellites. And yes, they are captured on clear days. And you do occasionally see aircraft in them. Birds aren’t big enough to see, or at least to matter.
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