INTERNET surfers around the world will be able to get a clearer birds-eye view of Launceston after new satellite imagery of the city was uploaded to the popular Google Maps website last night.
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The Launceston City Council's spatial information department had been working with Google to update old satellite pictures of Launceston.
Spatial data coordinator Alex Crothers said older satellite pictures of Launceston had been replaced by new photographs taken from an aeroplane in December last year.
``It is a whole series of photos,'' Mr Crothers explained.
``In fact, it is more than 70 gigabytes of high-resolution aerial photographs. There would be thousands and thousands of them -- but I have not actually done a count.''
The photographs were digitally ``stitched'' together to form one giant aerial picture of the city.
Mr Crothers said the council set out to update the imagery because it wanted to be part of another Google project, 3D Cities.
``3D Cities allows you to `switch on' the buildings on maps of cities around the world and zoom in around them,'' Mr Crothers said.
``We partnered with the University of Tasmania's School of Architecture and Google to provide Launceston's basic building footprints. A lot of the architecture students will soon be working to improve the 3D models.
``But before we could start on that, there was an issue with the accuracy of the older satellite imagery.
``Some of the roads did not line up and there were some other issues.
``But the new imagery has much higher spatial accuracy so the buildings will all fit together.''
Mr Crothers said the new imagery would benefit residents, tourists and anyone looking to find residential or business addresses in the city.
Council general manager Frank Dixon said he was pleased the council had taken the initiative to replace the older satellite imagery.
``It is great that we can share all the great efforts that are being done here in terms of capturing information that is absolutely up-to-date,'' Mr Dixon said.
``We have a highly skilled team of employees in the spatial information department and it is another example of this council leading the way.''
Mr Crothers said the council's spatial information department used aerial and satellite photography -- along with traditional maps -- to aid other council departments.
``Our mission is providing geographic answers to staff questions,'' he explained.
``The way the brain operates, it can process information very quickly through maps. A picture really does tell 1000 words. We use the power of computing to bring together large amounts of data, and analyse it to come up with simple results.''
Mr Crothers said the department might be called on to help in cases as diverse as a blocked stormwater drain, or providing graded maps to illustrate Launceston's ``walkability''.
``We cover everything from architecture to town planning, engineering, roads, parks and asset management,'' Mr Crothers said.
``It is an interesting place to work. There is always something happening.''
Mr Dixon said the spatial information department had saved the council thousands of man-hours, by providing simple graphic solutions to problems.
