Google continues to push out new 3D imagery on a regular basis. However, an increasingly large proportion of it is updates to areas that already had 3D imagery. The updated areas are generally better quality and certainly welcome, but it does mean there is a noticeable decline in the amount of new area covered each month.
New area in square kilometres of 3D imagery covered by month. Note that we have not yet included all of the January and February, 2016 areas.
To see the area covered by 3D in Google Earth download our KML map
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We used to use the helpful online tool at Zonum Solutions to calculate the areas. However, it has a file size limit that our KML file has exceeded and a few other issues which make using it for our particular requirement quite tedious. So this time we used the area functions found in GeographicLib to do the calculations.
The US has almost double the area of 3D imagery of the rest of the world put together.
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Note that some 3D areas overlap borders and the areas are recorded in the country/state where the bulk of the 3D lies. So Rhode Island State, for example, does have 3D imagery but it is part of a large area mostly in Massachusetts.
Thank you to all the GEB readers that find new areas and a special thanks to the GEB readers who draw new areas for inclusion in our map. New areas are noted in the comments of this post. If you wish to submit outlines please first read through the instructions found here.
About Timothy Whitehead
Timothy has been using Google Earth since 2004 when it was still called Keyhole before it was renamed Google Earth in 2005 and has been a huge fan ever since. He is a programmer working for Red Wing Aerobatx and lives in Cape Town, South Africa.
The number of yellow triangle icons in the Voyager 2 layer seems to have decreased, but does anyone know whether the icons indicate updated and/or new imagery?
The satellite imagery updates in Voyager 2 have stalled, with known updates not shown, added to which satellite imagery may show an unwelcome decrease in resolution and colour quality when 3D imagery is added in an area.
Is any reasonably comprehensive map of satellite imagery updates still in operation?
Hello.
Will google earth plan new 3D imagery in other Asian city in the future? It seems that most 3D imageries distribute mainly in North America and Europe.
Thanks.
If on Google Earth 3D is missing for one the most castle in europe, how to report ? Thanks