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.

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 historic black and white photo of a group of people in uniform on a flight of steps outside a grand, mock-Tudor house.

Our History

Our origins are rooted in the development of the Allied Central Interpretation Unit during the Second World War, but the oldest images in NCAP date back over 100 years.

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 historic black and white photo of a group of people in uniform, some sitting and some standing behind them.

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.

A black and white historic photo of a library. Cardboard boxes numbered in thick pen line numerous racks of metal shelving. 3 people in uniform examine boxes from the shelves.

Operating Model

The operational and development costs of NCAP are funded through commercial income generation and grant funding.

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.

Volunteer

Growing our network of partners includes reaching out to a knowledgeable and engaged public for volunteer 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