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Google Earth’s Incredible 3D Imagery, Explained

Google Earth’s Incredible 3D Imagery, Explained on HackerTube: recommended by 2 Hacker News commenters across 2 separate months, 2017–2022.

Nat and Friends

explainer · evergreen

Open on YouTube

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.

Why Hacker News recommends it

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.

people recommended it
2
separate months
2
strong recommendations
0
discussed on HN
2017–2022
“Here there is a video on how Google creates the 3D for Google Earth”
— Hokusai, Aug 2020, in “AI Creates Detailed 3D Renderings from Thousands of Tourist Photos”

What HN commenters said

3 Hacker News comments link this video. Each one links back to its thread.

HokusaiAug 2020Recommends

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: ▶ this video I hope to see more of this technologies as it is great to visit places without leaving home.

in “AI Creates Detailed 3D Renderings from Thousands of Tourist Photos” · View on HN

angchDec 2017Recommends

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

in “Google Maps' Moat” · View on HN

reportingsjrJan 2022Cites it

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: ▶ this video

in “Google deploying planes over cities for 3D maps (2012)” · View on HN

Topics & tags

Computer graphics & renderingData visualization & information designgoogle earthphotogrammetryaerial imagerysatellite imagerymaps