Download Very High Resolution Georeferenced Satellite Images

High resolution satellite images are of utmost importance in many RS and GIS studies. However high resolution images are not available for free of cost. Hence it is often beyond reach for student and research community. While using google earth images for this purpose, often we end up in accuracy issues while carrying out georeferencing. This tutorial explains a method using Elshayal Smart GIS Application to download already georeferenced Very High Resolution Google Earth Image.

Watch till end to understand how to do it for larger region of interest and also to understand certain disadvantages.

The software directly takes the coordinates from Google Earth to georeference the image. However there are a few points to note,

• As the georeferencing is done automatically, you will not find any issue with accuracy or edge matching (However read the note and tips below)

• As the Images are from Google Earth, you will find only RGB bands. Since there will not be Infra Red band, these images have limited uses for applications like Normalized Differential Indeices, getting an FCC image etc.

• However these images can be used in applications, like Urban Planning and Development, Flood Monitoring etc. which need high resolution natural look images

• You can use these Images along with free Landsat or other images to use in any application

Below is the video on Downloading High Resolution Georeferenced Satellite Images using Elshayal (Smart GIS).

Note and Tips:

• In some cases edges may not match if caution is not exercised. While saving the image in Google Earth as shown in the video, take care that there is no shift in the image. Sometimes while saving the image, you will feel a small shift in the screen up or down (due to whatever reason), in which case edge matching will be an issue. So take care that there is not shift, if at all there is a shift you may have to redo the process.

• Make sure that Google Earth is connected to Elshayal (Smart GIS) before you save the image, else it will return an error.

• In some cases software says, Server is Busy. It is a small problem with Google Earth. What you all need to do is, close the GE, reopen it. Zoom to the level you want, make sure that the area you are looking forward is loaded completely. i.e, just pan your screen all over the place and make sure that all the area are in high quality(not blurred). Then do the usual process as shown in the video. It will work. It should do it automatically, but somehow in some versions of GE, as the next screen is loaded, the screen keeps buffering and doesn't automatically show up in High Resolution.