Aerial Photo Orders

Step By Step Instructions for Ordering Imagery


Introduction: There are numerous pathways for exploring and ordering RSD's aerial photography holdings. This tutorial will step a user through the ordering process. Although there are several ways to mine the data holdings of RSD, all orders must be placed throught the APOS tool order form.

Pathways for Data Exploration: Three avenues have been made available to assist a user with determining what aerial photography can be ordered. These include:

For more information or assistance, please contact:

NOAA, National Ocean Service, N/NGS3, 1315 East-West Highway, Station 5150, Silver Spring, MD 20910-3282

Telephone: 301-713-2675 ext.104

Fax: 301-713-2183

Email: airphoto_order@noaa.gov

APOS Tool:

This tool will allow for discovery of NGS photography through a web browser. This is also where all orders must be placed regardless of exploration method.

  1. The tool gives you three optional backgrounds to assist with finding your area or point of interest:
    • Street Map
    • Imagery/Places
    • Topographic Map
  2. Zoom in as far as you can into your area of interest.
    • Utilize the "Zoom Tool" for zooming in and out (as seen below, circled in red).
    • You can also pan around by performing a left click inside the map window and while holding down the left click, move the map around.
  3. You can also find your area or point of interest by entering longitude and latitude coordinates or place name in the Location Box and then clicking the "Locate" button.

  4. There are three methods for narrowing the search for imagery which include:
    • Select Year Range: Move the two markers along the time line to encompass only the years that you would like to search for imagery between. The years that you select will be depicted at the top left and right of the time line.

    • Select Emulsion: Narrow your search by selecting only the type of emulsion that you would like to discover.

    • Select Sensor Type: Narrow your search by selecting the type of sensor, digital or film.

  5. Once you have zoomed into your area of interest and narrowed your search criteria (dates, emulsion, and sensor type), there are two ways for image discovery:
    • Select Frames in View: This will result in disovery of all images that meet the criteria in the extent of the map window.

    • Draw-Select: Click the "Draw-select" button, and then draw a box around the area of interest that you would like to discover imagery based on the criteria you have set. If you wish to redo your area of interest, you must repeat these procedures.

  6. Imagery Discovery Results: Results of your search will appear in the window below the Map View.

    • You can hover the mouse cursor over results in the window below the Map View, and this will result in the footprint of the image being highlighted in yellow.

    • You can hover the mouse cursor over the Image Footprint in the Map View, and this will provide additional information on the image as well as highlighting the footprint.

  7. Imagery Discovery Results: Results of your search will appear in the window below the Map View.
    • 1- Click the rows below to select.
    • 2- Hold CTRL to select multiple.
    • 3- Hold Shift to select a range.
    • 4- Hold CTRL+Shift to select multiple ranges.
    • The "Construct Order" button ignores selection; it returns all in bottom window pane, therfore remove what you don't want.
    • A Tip on Removing Discovery Results in bottom window pane: Select all image frames that you would like to order. Then click "Invert Selection" button. Next, click the "Remove Selection" button. This should leave you with only the results that you desire.

  8. Requesting an Order:
    • Once you have only the dicovery results that you would like to order in the bottom window pane, click the "Construct Order" button. This will bring up another window that will allow you to enter the information and specifications that are needed to request aerial imagery. ** It should be noted that currently only Film Photography may be ordered. A portion of the Digital Camera Imagery inventory is made availble through a web link.**

    • In the window that popped up, enter your contact information. Certain fields are required, noted by the red asteriks.

    • Then specify the Product Type, Specification, Contact Paper, Size, Quantity, and Certification options. Dependent on what is selected in the pull-down menus, will determine what following specifications are available.

    • If you would like all of the products to have the same specification, you can select that specification at the top of the column, and that will change all of the deliverables to the same specification in that column.

    • If you would like to specify different deliverables for the same aerial image, click the (+) sign at the right end of the items row. This will allow you to enter multiple deliverable specifications for the same aerial image.

    • You may also download shapefiles (Film Photography or Digital Camera) of your order request that can be displayed in a Geographic Information System (GIS).
    • Once you have specified all of your deliverables, click the "Submit Order" button. This will submit an email to NOAA and your email address with the order information. You will need to call (301) 713-2675 to finalize your Order.

    • A new window will pop up letting you know that your order request has been submitted and will present you with the Phone Number (301) 713-2675 you need to call to confirm your order.

Google Earth KML Files:

These files are currently under construction.

GIS Shapefiles:

These files are currently under construction.