Utilizing Aerial Photography to Trace the Development of Urbanization in the Chennai District

Abstract

Chennai, India is growing more urbanized by the day, hence studying its development is essential. We may see the world from a bird's-eye viewpoint thanks to aerial photography, a method for taking pictures of the Earth's surface from an elevated position—typically from an aircraft or drone. Scientific research, land surveying, urban planning, environmental monitoring, and mapping are just a few of the applications for these photos. Using remote sensing techniques, we are able to examine and record changes in Chennai's physical terrain over time, allowing us to trace the city's evolution through these aerial photos. ArcGIS, ERDAS, ENVI, Pix4D, Global Mapper, and QGIS were among the programs we used to process and examine the aerial photo data. Through the help of these software programs, users can extract insightful data and useful information from photos taken by satellites, drones, or airplanes. When compared to satellite images, aerial photography frequently produces imagery with a better spatial resolution, enabling more accurate and thorough study of ground-based objects. Through a comparative analysis of maps produced using aerial photography data throughout time, we have discovered that Chennai is losing open land, green spaces, and water bodies because of its growing urbanization. By closely analysing this trend and taking into account various factors, we can forecast the continued growth of Chennai.