One of the new types of technology that have begun using GIS data are GPS units. These global positioning systems need to know exactly which streets are where, when new road construction is being done, where the best routes are, etc.

GPS units often take advantage of aerial mapping, because aerial mapping allows the people that work with data to actually view exactly where these streets start and end, their distance, and any other information that the aerial photography can provide. While there are ways to simply “look it up” using a city mapping system, the accuracy cannot be guaranteed and details can be overlooked. Images, on the other hand, never lie, and by getting images of each location in order to program the correct coordinates, GPS programmers and data analysts can ensure that the information they are providing is 100% accurate and free of any human error that may come from using non-image based mapping drawn by human beings.

This type of data can be used for a variety of reasons, and GPS makers are simply the newest addition to the group. In the future, we may even get to see live traffic taken with the same kind of images.

Technorati Tags: aerial mapping, aerial photography, digital mapping, overhead maps