Aerial photography
The photo-interpretation of images taken by aircraft and/or drones is a discipline that has found a wide use in the field of Earth Sciences, where it is used as an effective analysis tool to acquire, in a relatively short time, territorial data and information of large areas.
In the geological field, this survey method, mainly used for geomorphological studies and research, allows to have a preliminary picture of the physical configuration of the territory by quickly identifying the main shapes of erosion and accumulation.
This analysis technique is particularly useful when it is difficult, sometimes impossible, to directly inspect the places under investigation through on-site survey, or when a general and immediate view of a specific territory is required. or when it is necessary to take very close shots of structures (natural or man-made) that are difficult to reach.
According to these few considerations, it is clear that photo-interpretation of aerial photographies can be used as an investigation tool also in the forensic field, since it provides data, useful information and sources of evidence for criminal and civil justice, mainly concerned to crimes against the environment such as illegal building, illegal or uncontrolled landfills, deforestation and illegal cultivation of quarries.