Accident Investigation and Reconstruction Mapping with Aerial Photography

A system has been developed for investigating and reconstructing vehicular accidents using close-range aerial photography. Accident Investigation and Reconstruction Mapping with Aerial Photography, henceforth referred to as AIRMAP, utilizes a tethered blimp and suspended camera in a close-range aerial survey technique. It produces a high-resolution, color, vertical photograph that can be scaled, digitized, and analyzed in conjunction with other documented evidence. Computer-generated graphics of physical evidence, such as vehicles, tire marks, and pedestrians, can be superimposed over the image to produce a plan view photographic map of the accident scene easily understood by a non-technical audience.