Racks of light grey shelving fill a room. The shelves are full of cardboard boxes. In the aisle between 2 racks of shelves is a woman with long dark hair wearing a blue lab coat. She leans over 2 cardboard boxes stacked on a grey trolley.

Processing vast numbers of images per day requires careful tracking.
NCAP's records coordination store is the first stop in our detailed workflows

About NCAP

The National Collection of Aerial Photography (a part of Historic Environment Scotland) holds one of the most significant collections of aerial photography in the world. We are custodians of over 30 million images, providing a detailed and unique perspective on key moments in world history.

Our Collection

Our collection contains tens of millions of high-resolution analogue images, dating back to the 1920s. It features images from every continent in the world, many of which are being made available to the public for the first time. This is possible thanks to the state-of-the-art, purpose-built NCAP facility in Edinburgh.

Our History

The imagery held by NCAP records pivotal moments in world history. As well as pre-war images are over ten million from the Second World War collated by the Allied Central Interpretation Unit based at RAF Medmenham. Millions of images cover British interests during the Cold War, held alongside millions more civilian-flown aerial photographs.

Our Mission

NCAP's advanced preservation, digitisation and online dissemination capabilities allow for millions of images from our collection and those of our partners to be made available. They are used for a range of applications as diverse as the locating of unexploded ordnance, global-scale climate change and research across a growing range of academic disciplines.

In This Section

Four white and grey image scanners are spaced across a line of desks. Five blue and black film winders are spaced between the scanners. Each winder has a roll of black film on it. A section of a screen is in partial focus in the top right corner of the frame.

Our Mission

With a responsibility for 30 million aerial photographic images, our goal is to preserve them and make them accessible for present and future generations.

A black and white historic photo of 4 women in uniform working in an office. Large windows are visible in the background. 2 of the women face the camera, 2 are sitting with their backs to the camera. Metal film canisters cover almost every surface.

Our Team

Meet the team of dedicated technicians, historians, analysts, cataloguers, data managers and robots who deliver NCAPs collections to the public every day.

A large modern, multistorey building is the focus of the image. It is primarily made from glass sheets, with white panelling between them. Our view is partially obscured by large, low bushy trees, which are spaced in between areas of grass. Decorative paving is laid directly in front of us and leads to a low, sweeping glass entranceway.

Our Partners

We collaborate with organisations from around the world with the common goal of facilitating access to aerial photographic collections.

A screenshot of a digital map of England, Wales, France, Belgium and the Netherlands, indicating 91,683 photos available. There are numerous blue numbered dots showing where each photo is and how many are in each location.

Release Notes Overview

Explore newly released aerial imagery on Air Photo Finder, with detailed summaries of each batch from NCAP and partner collections.

An industrial building with signage that shows a blue and teal logo. The sign reads ‘Historic Environment Scotland’. Above it is a grey ‘3’ – indicating the building unit number. The building is dark blue and has large glass windows. In the far right two white vans are parked.

Historic Environment Scotland

Operating as a part Historic Environment Scotland, we are able to work closely with colleagues across archives and business support to help meet our goals.

Two figures fill the right side of the frame, and sit in front of a computer workstation on the left. The figure on the right has short, dark brown hair an is wearing a grey jumper. The figure on the right has long red hair and wears glasses with a dark frame and a dark blue top. The figure on the right is pointing at the screen. Two frames black and white images are displayed on the grey walls around them.

Get Involved

Growing our network of partners includes reaching out to a knowledgeable and engaged public, for both volunteer and outreach opportunities.

2 men examine documents they are holding. The man on the left has light red hair and wears a blue shirt. The man on the right has dark brown hair and wears a grey jumper. 2 large colourised historic photos cover the walls behind them.

Contact Us

Find the best ways to get in touch with the team at NCAP for research support, project partnerships or image sales.

View Already Digitised Collections

Use our mapping tools to zoom into areas of interest and explore tens of thousands of images.
Visit Our Air Photo Finder