Ortofotografías

Ortofotografías are aerial or satellite images that have been geometrically corrected or "orthorectified". This process removes the distortions caused by camera tilt and terrain relief, ensuring that the scale of the image is uniform throughout. Unlike standard aerial photographs, which can appear skewed and vary in scale, ortofotografías are planimetrically accurate, meaning they can be used for precise measurements and mapping.

The orthorectification process typically involves using a digital elevation model (DEM) of the terrain and the camera's interior and exterior orientation parameters. This information allows software to resample the original image pixels to their true ground positions, creating a map-accurate representation. The resulting ortofotografía is a high-resolution image with the geometric qualities of a map.

Ortofotografías have numerous applications across various fields. They are fundamental tools in geographic information systems (GIS) for creating and updating maps, land-use planning, and environmental monitoring. In agriculture, they are used for precision farming, crop health assessment, and yield prediction. Construction and infrastructure projects utilize ortofotografías for site surveying, progress tracking, and design verification. They are also valuable for emergency management, urban planning, and archaeological studies. The ability to overlay other data layers, such as property boundaries or elevation contours, onto an ortofotografía further enhances its utility.