News Transforming our Online Platforms

Transforming our Online Platforms

A man and a woman sitting at a desk. The man is wearing a grey jumper. The woman has red hair and is wearing a blue shirt. There is a computer, keyboard and two screens on the desk. The woman is showing the man something on one of the screens.

In an exciting development, the National Collection of Aerial Photography (NCAP) is thrilled to announce the launch of its revamped website and image discovery portal. This eagerly anticipated upgrade is set to provide users with an enhanced and user-friendly experience, making it easier than ever to explore this vast collection of historical aerial imagery.

While previously everything was found in one place, our collections and partnerships have been so successful we have taken the decision to develop and release an online discovery portal separate from our standard website.

The new website features a sleek and modern design, while the map-based image portal is optimised for seamless navigation to access the extensive digitised holdings of both NCAP and international partners. Whether you are a historian, an EOD specialist, a climate researcher, or simply a curious individual interested in exploring our world from above, we are working hard on making our online platforms a better experience for you.

The redesigned website offers a clean and well-presented overview of our full operation. A fresh look and feel will be more intuitive and easier to use on both desktop and mobile devices. With lots of information about our new building, products, services, project partners, and the passionate team behind it all, you will have a better insight into our full operations.

The collections portal relaunch aims to improve accessibility and navigation to millions of aerial photographs dating back decades, showcasing landscapes, urban development, and historical events. While still in the Beta phase of development this will give users an enhanced browsing experience with a modern basemap, integrated geospatial footprint and centrepoint data for each image, as well as more transparent licensing and purchasing options. NCAP aims to allow users to uncover and access valuable imagery effortlessly.

NCAP is committed to preserving and sharing this vital historical resource, and the new website represents a significant step towards achieving this goal. 

 

Air Photo Finder Roadmap

The current release is in the Beta phase of development while our team continues work to increase the features offered to the public. Upcoming releases will include:

Launch of paid subscriptions pack

  • Higher resolution images 
  • Zoom and pan functionality 
  • Personalised galleries and favourites

Increased functionality

  • Link and locate related images from the same mission or sortie
  • Integrated additional resources and collections information
  • Diverse themes and subthemes available 

Further images released

  • Hundreds of thousands of images from across the globe are currently being prepared for upload to the Air Photo Finder

 

Get in touch

If you have any further questions or feedback, do please feel free to get in touch with the NCAP team. 

Phone: +44(0)131 651 6821
Email: ncap@hes.scot

 

Rachel Nordstrom, NCAP Operations Manager