In my work, I generally need to use up-to-date satellite imagery to keep up with what’s happening in major infrastructure projects throughout the region. Applications such as Nearmap and HERE Maps are great tools to use for the most-current satellite images for these areas.
Unfortunately, as I primarily like to use Google Maps for almost everything, it’s actually really disappointing to see that the majority of the Sydney region still use satellite images from early 2016. Late late year, there was a complaint about how satellite images were outdated in the suburb of Marsden Park, NSW and even though there was feedback given we’ve still yet to receive an update on the satellite views for the region.
Meanwhile, other major cities in Australia enjoy metropolitan-wide 3D coverage with updated satellite views and model rendering. In the animation above, cities like Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Canberra and Newcastle have vivid, beautiful satellite maps with comprehensive 3D photogrammetry models, whereas Sydney is seriously falling behind.
That isn’t to say that the team isn’t actively working on updating these images. The new satellite view appears in the Eastern Suburbs, and to my memory, seems to have recently moved across the Pacific Highway to North Sydney. I can understand how difficult it’s going to be processing the Sydney CBD since everything is clumped up together, but indeed, the images are quite outdated. You can really tell the difference between the two satellite views, such as in the suburb of Neutral Bay where the line explicitly splices the transformation.
In the Maps’ team’s defence it looks like they’ve reached Dawes Point, so I’m hoping that we will eventually see a beautiful 3D model of Sydney on Google Maps, and then naturally seeing this new view roll out to the rest of the Sydney Metropolitan Area with the most current of maps. I really love the vivid sun-kissed greens, all the trees, the details of the buildings, absolutely looking forward to them.
Although it really is an oddity how there is a Google office in Sydney and why Sydney doesn’t have this new view yet. But if this shiny, new satellite view of Sydney is going to be the norm for Google Maps, I am definitely looking forward to it!
For the meantime though, Sydney is still alive and kicking, and I just wanted to write about this from my mind. What I’m really looking forward to is when Parramatta gets its buildings remodelled, now that would be a sight to behold.