St. Tammany Parish in Louisiana upped its budget to support $150,000 for Pictometry imagery/software. Of note in the discussions was a challenge as to how the solution was better than Google Earth.
Gary Mirabeau, district manager for Pictometry, offered three:
- Resolution is not as high on GoogleEarth as in Pictometry. Photographs are taken at 3,000 feet, not from satellite, like many images on GoogleEarth.
- GoogleEarth does not include measurements, for example how close two building are to each other and how far above sea level a structure is built.
- Pictometry software can provide 3D models of terrain, viewed from every angle.
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Slidell Sentry-News
a) Google Earth can display imagery at many resolutions. It all depends on what data you have available. And, you can add imagery from other sources.
b) Google Earth does include measurement capabilities (even in the free version) including both distances and altitudes.
c) Ummm, try turning on the terrain layer dude. Google Earth is definitely 3D and last year upped the 3D terrain resolution in the US by a factor of 9 or more.
GE supplies a large free dataset from all over the world, however who knows how old the data is. There are alot of tools and functions, but limited to an old nadir image.
Pictometry is a true oblique image, not a tilted ortho or satellite photo, all the images are date stamped, and many more types of measurements can be made in Pictometry.
Were the three "reasons" offered above the only three? Or was this paraphrased? Unfortunately they probably weren't the best three for Mr. Mirabeau to offer up. Only people not fully aware of the capabilities of each product would try to make a comparison at all.
...a) Google Earth can display imagery at many resolutions. It all depends on what data you have available. And, you can add imagery from other sources.
The GE imagery around the Northshore is not very good. Take a look for yourself. Those are 1 meter. Pictometry is 6 inch. Can you add that to your GE?
...b) Google Earth does include measurement capabilities (even in the free version) including both distances and altitudes.
Accuracy and precision not withstanding how about the fact that in GE (free) you cant measure by polygon nor automate the process.
c...) Ummm, try turning on the terrain layer dude. Google Earth is definitely 3D and last year upped the 3D terrain resolution in the US by a factor of 9 or more.
Besides the fact that a nine time increase in the Northshore would give you precision to the inch, I think the 3-d there are referencing is rooftops and not bare ground.
Above and beyond you have licensing issues with Google Earth and the Parish cannot "bring in" GE imagery into a GIS such as AutoCad Map.
Yes you can. You only have to order data and import it into Google Earth, either as KML/KMZ for the free version, or import Geotiff directly into GE Pro. (By the way -- then you can use any data, not just Pictometry's imagery.)
"Accuracy and precision not withstanding how about the fact that in GE (free) you cant measure by polygon nor automate the process."
Feel free to point out where Pictometry has 'automation'. What is the practical use of making measurements? How often will the user be making measurements? Are the measurements actually data-related or tool-related?
"I think the 3-d they are referencing is rooftops and not bare ground."
Again -- order any data, you can visualize it in Google Earth.
I'll also be willing to suggest that the data purchase is the story here and that it really has nothing to do with Google Earth. If data is what the organization needs -- then they have a viewer for it, and it's called Google Earth.
http://www.govcomm.harris.com/realsite/inreality.html
You'd probably gain even more accurate measuring ability using any data you wish.
So this is no longer your former employer? It must then be your current employer, no?
Its one thing to rotate around in Google Earth…but it’s still a mostly nadir version of imagery (and maybe some 3D gray or textured buildings). Google Earth is a nice program…it has its uses and limitations. If you work for a government entity (like a planning, assessor, engineering, or public safety department) then Pictometry definitely has a lot of value too; and it is definitely worth the cost!
He's also addressing the fundamental misconception that Google Earth is "live".
This idea seems to persist despite all logic, and at levels of government and private business practices that would be laughable if it weren't so shocking.
As an example in related area...I've had people ask how much Garmin had to pay to launch the GPS satellites, and what is the subscription cost in future years?