<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>Poland as well as other countries keep extensive collections of 20th and 21st-century aerial photos, which are underexploited compared to such other archival materials as satellite imagery. Meanwhile, they offer significant research potential in various areas, including urban development, land use changes, and long-term environmental monitoring. Archival photographs are detailed, often obtained every five to ten years, and feature high resolution, from 20 cm to 1 m. Their overlap can facilitate creating precise digital models that illustrate topography and land cover, which are essential variables in many scientific contexts. However, rapidly transforming these photographs into geographically accurate measurements of the Earth’s surface poses challenges. This article explores the obstacles in automating the processing of historical photographs and presents the main scientific research directions associated with these images. Recent advancements in enhancing work˚ows, including the development of modern digital photogrammetry tools, algorithms, and machine learning techniques are also discussed. These developments are crucial for unlocking the full potential of aerial photographs, making them easier accessible and valuable for a broader range of scientific fields. These underutilized photographs are increasingly recognized as vital in various research domains due to technological advancements. Integrating new methods with these historical images offers unprecedented opportunities for scientific discovery and historical understanding, bridging the past with the future through innovative research techniques.</p>
</abstract>

Poland as well as other countries keep extensive collections of 20th and 21st-century aerial photos, which are underexploited compared to such other archival materials as satellite imagery. Meanwhile, they offer significant research potential in various areas, including urban development, land use changes, and long-term environmental monitoring. Archival photographs are detailed, often obtained every five to ten years, and feature high resolution, from 20 cm to 1 m. Their overlap can facilitate creating precise digital models that illustrate topography and land cover, which are essential variables in many scientific contexts. However, rapidly transforming these photographs into geographically accurate measurements of the Earth’s surface poses challenges. This article explores the obstacles in automating the processing of historical photographs and presents the main scientific research directions associated with these images. Recent advancements in enhancing work˚ows, including the development of modern digital photogrammetry tools, algorithms, and machine learning techniques are also discussed. These developments are crucial for unlocking the full potential of aerial photographs, making them easier accessible and valuable for a broader range of scientific fields. These underutilized photographs are increasingly recognized as vital in various research domains due to technological advancements. Integrating new methods with these historical images offers unprecedented opportunities for scientific discovery and historical understanding, bridging the past with the future through innovative research techniques.

Geoprocessing of archival aerial photos and their scientific applications: A review

Department of Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Systems, Faculty of Geodesy and Cartography

Reports on Geodesy and Geoinformatics

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Poland as well as other countries keep extensive collections of 20th and 21st-century aerial photos, which are underexploited compared to such other archival...

Geoprocessing of archival aerial photos and their scientific applications: A review

Published Online: Jul 17, 2024

Page range: 1 - 16

Received: Mar 11, 2024

Accepted: Jun 03, 2024

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/rgg-2024-0010

Keywords
photogrammetry, remote sensing, historical photos, multi-temporal, geoprocessing of aerial imagery

© 2024 Adam Kostrzewa, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Geoprocessing of archival aerial photos and their scientific applications: A review

Published Online: Jul 17, 2024

Page range: 1 - 16

Received: Mar 11, 2024

Accepted: Jun 03, 2024

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/rgg-2024-0010

Keywordsphotogrammetry, remote sensing, historical photos, multi-temporal, geoprocessing of aerial imagery

© 2024 Adam Kostrzewa, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Keywords
photogrammetry, remote sensing, historical photos, multi-temporal, geoprocessing of aerial imagery