Google Earth Improvement

Many areas of the world are still very fuzzy in Google Earth - including
Kent, SE England. Hardly the Third World, as the London to Paris High Speed
Train runs through it.

When are Google going to widen their close-up coverage?

By the way, what's the best newsgroup for imaging questions?

Thanks,

Rob

Robert Jenkins wrote:

Rob... the close-up coverage must exist before Google can make use
of the data. Aerial photography of the resolution you desire is not
done, but by a few countries on this planet.

wrote:


What about the competition? http://maps.live.com/

As a quick test, it's easy to see that Ashford, Kent is much more detailed. You
can even see the London to Paris High Speed rails, but sadly not the Train.

Of course Google also participates in censoring, check out a close in
view in Google Earth of MIT Lincoln Labs.

42=B027'29.83"N
71=B016'39.66"W

Clearly the surrounding area is very high resolution, but the area
over the lab, runways and surrounding area are pixilated close in, in
a very deliberate manner.
There are also areas in China with the same effect.

This leads me to believe they don't always put up what they have or
have access to and can be influenced by outside sources.

Don't think it is Gogle who does it. There are licensing restrictions
on data with 1 M ground resolution or better. For some parts of the
world, the data is just not readily available. Take a good look at
various parts of Israel on Google Earth. Ben-Gurion Airport is very
low resolution, while most of the coast near Tel Aviv is high
resolution. By contrast, the ground resolution at Amman Airport is
very high, not difficult to guess what aircraft are on the tarmac. No
license restrictions on Jordanian imagery... Ground resolution at
Cairo is also very good, check out the airport.

The Russians upset the apple cart a few years back when the turned
over 1m ground resolution imagery of Area 51 to Aviation Week and
Space Technology, who published it.