On the Use of Historical Flights for the Urban Growth Analysis of Cities Through Time: The Case Study of Avila (Spain)

A novel methodology combining historical aerial images with modern photogrammetric techniques enables the analysis of urban growth over time, providing valuable 4D spatio-temporal data for cities. The study demonstrates that incremental Structure from Motion can effectively process historical imagery, such as the 1956 American flight and a 2017 digital aerial survey, to assess changes in urban landscapes with high georeferencing accuracy. This approach offers researchers a powerful tool to identify and describe urban development patterns, supporting sustainable city planning. The case study of Ávila (Spain) validates the method's applicability, offering insights into urban growth dynamics between 1956 and 2017.

Picon-Cabrera, I., Garcia-Gago, J. M., Sanchez-Aparicio, L. J., Rodriguez-Gonzalvez, P., & Gonzalez-Aguilera, D. (2020). On the Use of Historical Flights for the Urban Growth Analysis of Cities Through Time: The Case Study of Avila (Spain). Sustainability, 12(11), 4673. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12114673