As recently as a century ago the idea of viewing the world from above was little more than a fantasy: the airplane was still in its infancy, with rocketry and satellites still decades into the future. Those who could not take to the air had no recourse but drawing in order to represent their world from an aerial perspective. This limitation is difficult to imagine today when access to plan photography is never further than the nearest Internet connection. Anyone with a smartphone has, in essence, the entire world in their pocket.
Satellite Photography: The Latest Architecture and News
Civilization in Perspective: Capturing the World From Above
https://www.archdaily.com/785740/civilization-in-perspective-capturing-the-world-from-aboveLuke Fiederer