Bluesky Launches Online Window to the Past

21 May 2008, 6:53pm

Aerial survey specialist, Bluesky, has launched a brand new web service offering an online window to the largest collection of UK based historical aerial photographs. Visitors to www.oldaerialphotos.com can search through millions of aerial images dating back as far as the 1940s by simply entering a postcode, address or grid reference. Detailed search results, including the age and ground coverage, of every image that matches the search criteria are displayed and the visitor can choose to purchase either a hard copy print or digital image file. www.oldaerialphotos.com is a joint venture between Bluesky and air to ground oblique photography experts Skyscan.

“This is an important development for anyone with a personal or professional interest in the past,” said Rachel Tidmarsh, Managing Director of Bluesky. “By giving visitors to www.oldaerialphotos.com the ability to search through literally millions of images with just a few clicks of a mouse we are bringing together for the first time a valuable and comprehensive record of our past. Many of these images have previously only been available to archivists or those with specialist knowledge of how to find them, now it will be easy for everyone to search through these historic collections.”

Visitors to www.oldaerialphotos.com can search through a number of historically significant collections of both vertical and oblique aerial photography. Through an ambitious and ongoing acquisition programme and agreements with a number of historically important private, commercial and government organisations Bluesky has already secured, and will continue to do so, unrivalled access to a photographic record of the country’s past. Bluesky’s own team of photographic experts have collated and formatted information about every image creating a Master Aerial Database that powers the online service.

Images that are available to purchase from www.oldaerialphotos.com include some of the earliest commercial aerial survey images, military photography from World War II and one of the largest collections of oblique photography in the UK. Offering a record of most major UK cities and towns, transport and utility infrastructure and commercial property developments www.oldaerialphotos.com is an invaluable resource for anyone with a personal or professional interest in local studies, genealogy, boundary disputes, environmental land use research or town planning, for example.

www.oldaerialphotos.com is a joint venture between aerial imaging, remote sensing data collection and processing specialist Bluesky, and air to ground oblique photography experts Skyscan.

About Bluesky

BlueSky is a UK based company specialising in aerial imaging, remote sensing data collection and processing. With projects extending around the globe it has an international reputation for the creation of seamless digital aerial photography and 3D landscape / cityscape visualisations. BlueSky’s national mapping centre provides digital maps, site plans, satellite imagery, aerial photography and ultra-high resolution imagery of cities and towns. Bluesky is a privately owned company based in Coalville, Leicestershire. www.bluesky-world.com

About Skyscan
Skyscan is a family business established in 1984. With over 20 years experience in the aviation and aerial photography industry, the company specialises in undertaking air to ground oblique photography from a variety of aerial platforms including masts and balloons as well as aircraft. Skyscan also has an impressive stock photolibrary, covering worldwide air to ground, aviation and aerial sports imagery and many books have been produced from this collection. Skyscan is a privately owned company based in Cheltenham in Gloucestershire, England. www.skyscan.co.uk

Website: www.bluesky-world.com
All reader enquiries to Bluesky sales on +44 (0)1530 518 518

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