Newer Map Server

[Barend]

I found a new map server that seems to have newer aerial photos compared to "Google Earth" and "Arc GIS Explorer". Google "National Map Seamless Server" then click on "Seamless Viewer". Click on "Orthoimagery" on the right hand side of map and then click or check-mark "NAIP". Hope this helps some people with their scouting and hunting.

[Elioron]

The first thing I noticed is that it doesn't have a lot of the street names in rural areas - at least where I am. More options is rarely a bad thing, though, and helps make sure you have the best tool for where you're going.

[sardak]

The USGS "seamless viewer"  http://seamless.usgs.gov/website/seamless/viewer.htm  is intended as a means of quickly downloading data in GIS readable format. I use it almost weekly for that purpose. It's not really a service for viewing imagery and other map layer data.  On the other hand...

The National Map Viewer (TNMV) is designed to be used as a map and imagery viewer as well as for downloading data. It's at:  http://viewer.nationalmap.gov/viewer/   There is a quick start guide on the help page at:   http://viewer.nationalmap.gov/help/

TNMV allows all the normal layers expected on a map to be turned on and off, such as roads and road names (expand the control panel on the left side by clicking the arrowhead) . It has additional layers such as police and fire stations, hospitals, contour lines, weather radar, etc.  The background of the map can be plain, shaded relief or color imagery.

It also allows the user to draw on the map and add text, and export the additions as shapefiles (for GIS) or KML (for Google Earth and other products), or to just print the map with the annotations.  External data from other servers or KML/KMZ files can be imported.

NAIP is the National Agriculture Imagery Program which acquires 1 meter resolution aerial imagery yearly during the agricultural growing seasons. Each state used to be on a 5 year update cycle but now its 3 year. The details are at:  http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/apfoapp?area=home&subject=prog&topic=nai

As for the imagery comparison to Google or the like, that depends on where you are.  A lot of the Google imagery is NAIP, but Google and others get imagery from multiple sources. Around here, the urban areas are higher resolution and newer than the 2009 or earlier NAIP used in the rural areas.

Mike

[SarDragon]

The GE imagery for my part of the world (San Diego) is newer - Aug 2010, vice Mar 2001 for the stuff you suggested. Also, the GE detail is much finer.