[UPDATE: I’ve rewritten this story based on new information from Google]
Google just released all new aerial and satellite photos for Google Earth and Maps today. They just had a big update to the database less than a month ago on 9-September. This is amazing! Here’s a summary from their announcement at the GEC:
- the entire states of Minnesota, South Carolina, North Dakota, Missouri (updated to 2005), Idaho, Maryland, and now full coverage for the entire state of Texas
- Updates to Florida (most of the state covered now)
- 15 high-resolution cities in Germany
- update for London, 2006 data at 10cm from Bluesky
- South Georgia Island
- Albany, OR; Lubbock, TX; Port Townsend, WA; Portage County, OH; Trumball County, OH
- 32 Digital Globe Citisphere cities (updates and new coverage)
The digital globe data has been updated as well. This means there are new strips of satellite photos all over the planet. I’m sure reports will begin flooding in about new places covered. I noticed a lot of new strips in Africa for example.
From my earlier report this morning:
I had a report from GEB reader Geoffrey that Ann Arbor, Michigan had some new aerial or satellite photos in Google Maps. I confirmed there was new imagery on the west side in Google Maps, but not Google Earth. Just now, I discovered Google Earth got the update as well. I also just received word that London has new photos, and have confirmed that the London photos have much better quality photos (at least in the area of the London Eye).
About Frank Taylor
Frank Taylor started the Google Earth Blog in July, 2005 shortly after Google Earth was first released. He has worked with 3D computer graphics and VR for many years and was very impressed with this exciting product. Frank completed a 5.5 year circumnavigation of the earth by sailboat in June 2015 which you can read about at Tahina Expedition, and is a licensed pilot, backpacker, diver, and photographer.