Google Earth & Surface Features

[baumgrenze]

How do I help Google Earth updaters understand that terrain surface features (e.g. trails, minor roads, one-story buildings) cannot be seen if their updates always feature a full canopy of leaves on any trees?
Is their fire-wall so impenetrable that useful feedback cannot reach them?
At a minimum Google Earth deserves a balanced approach to the seasons in the images they post in updates?
Thanks
baumgrenze

[worldbuilding pasta]

I think google earth, at least the desktop version, let's you browse through older images of a place. I don't think google earth is really designed to serve as a detailed navigation app if that's the issue here, that's more of a google maps thing, but pretty much any global map app will be unreliable to rural areas and foot trails, it takes a lot of in-person footwork to map out that sort of thing.

[baumgrenze]

IvyCreek_GEarthCompare_042824.jpgIvyCreek_GEarthCompare_041016.jpg

I have added 2 images from Ivy Creek Natural Area in Charlottesville, VA to illustrate my point. I chose them using the slider in the Google Earth Pro to show the current, very green 04/28/24 most current image and one from 04/16/16 where not all the leaves have turned green and ground surface details can be seen as suggested in my OP. I might note that I had to go back 8 images to find semi-leafless trees. There is 1 more 5/4/13 image similar to the one I included.

Perhaps I should modify my query to ask, what satellite imaging service captures and posts the images that Google Earth uses for its Historic Images feature?

Thanks
baumgrenze

[worldbuilding pasta]

There's typically a bit of text at the bottom of the screen attributing the image source; a lot of the current high-resolution imagery seems to come from Airbus. Not all the historical imagery seems to have these attributions, which perhaps indicates it some from some database directly owned by google. But scroll through the historical imagery for different areas and you can get an idea of how much of this data is a composite from different sources. The general priority seems to be continuously updating with the newest image data that matches their resolution standards rather than trying to decide on some set best representation of each area (which would be an enormous undertaking even if they weren't updating every few months at this point).

[Ernesticks]

How do I help Google Earth updaters understand that terrain surface features (e.g. trails, minor roads, one-story buildings) cannot be seen if their updates always feature a full canopy of leaves on any trees?
Is their fire-wall so impenetrable that useful feedback cannot reach them?
At a minimum Google Earth deserves a balanced approach to the seasons in the images they post in updates?
Thanks
baumgrenze

Perhaps providing specific examples of how the full canopy affects visibility could help convey your message more effectively.

[Ernesticks]

How do I help Google Earth updaters understand that terrain surface features (e.g. trails, minor roads, one-story buildings) cannot be seen if their updates always feature a full canopy of leaves on any trees?
Is their fire-wall so impenetrable that useful feedback cannot reach them?
At a minimum Google Earth deserves a balanced approach to the seasons in the images they post in updates?
Thanks
baumgrenze

Perhaps you could suggest seasonal imagery to highlight these details and send feedback through official Google channels.