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urbanrim.org.uk/aerial-imagery
This page briefly describes the main sources of aerial, specifically satellite, imagery used in the preparation of East Yorkshire coastal erosion pages, and for ongoing studies.
Images captured by satellite and made available online inevitably show the coastline as it was at some earlier moment in time. In images of relatively recent date, there may be no or very little difference from the present situation at a number of locations. Older images provide an idea of how much cliff can be lost over a period.
Pr = monitoring profile (see data summary)
UKGRF is an ideal tool for quick access to a particular point on the coastal map when a coordinate is known.
Three types of coordinates are recognised. Grid Reference, the National Grid system employed in all Ordnance Survey maps, is preferred because only one element is needed in place of an easting then a northing, or latitude and longitude.
A copy/paste from the coordinates full spreadsheet or fieldwork spreadsheet into the Grid Reference search box at the left of the UKGRF map will zoom in to a required monitoring location. For example, the entry TA 25574 39697 directs the view to the cliff intersect for Profile 62 at Aldbrough.
Where a coordinate is not known then manual zoom can be applied. There are icons for the usual mapping tools.
Apple Maps provides the imagery. Dates are not given, though known changes to certain features suggest around 2021. Joins in the imagery are apparent at TA 18067 55416, TA 25374 40000, and TA 30454 32882.
As the name implies, the UKGRF Batch Tool facilitates multiple coordinates to be inserted in a single process.
Echoing the earlier example, a block of coordinates will copy/paste from the coordinates full spreadsheet or fieldwork spreadsheet into the Batch Tool search box (Step One).
Assuming that the selected coordinates are in National Grid format, check the Grid Reference button in Step Two. Then press Convert (Step Five) and Show Points on a Main Map (Step Seven).
Pins Pr1 to Pr123 mark cliff top positions of monitoring profiles, the current system of measuring cliff loss.
Profiles notionally extend from a point inland to one at sea. Length is about 1.3 kilometres. On the GE image, length is reduced to 50 metres, this being landward and seaward extentions of 25 metres from cliff top intersects as they were in 2014-2015.
Pins EP1 to EP120 mark locations of erosion posts, the previous system of measuring cliff loss.
See data-in-detail for background.
Also appearing with profile markings on the GE map are dots in circles. These indicate cliff top intersects in 2003, the year when systematic regular monitoring of cliff loss for the entire coast was introduced.
Positions for the dots are calculated from data. Losses are added together and the distance extended seaward along the profile from a later intersect.
The Google Earth Pro Show historical imagery feature (icon in the top toolbar and time slider) includes a map of the coastline for 2003.
In general there is good agreement between imagery and calculation, with examples of precise alignment. Of the exceptions, alignment might be seen at a later acquisition date, e.g. 2005 or 2007.
Google Earth satellite imagery receives regular updates. In terms of resolution and quality, some are better than others. Positions are approximate.
from Pr1 to Pr23
13 April 2026
from Pr24 to Pr28
5 October 2025
from Pr29 to Pr30
31 March 2025
from Pr31 to Pr37
5 October 2025
from Pr38 to Pr39
31 March 2025
from Pr40 to Pr47
5 October 2025
from Pr48 to Pr54
31 January 2026
from Pr55 to Pr60
23 April 2025
from Pr61 to Pr82
7 April 2026
from Pr83 to Pr106
22 September 2025
from Pr107 to Pr107
21 September 2023
from Pr108 to Pr108
16 June 2021
from Pr109 to Pr123
21 September 2023
Aerial maps are accessed by View Layers (sandwich icon) then Ortho-rectified photography. Frames in the CCO application can be slow to resolve but images are of good quality and purposely depict the beach at low tide, useful for observing sediment configurations. Long/Lat coordinates are provided in the top right corner. Dates available are 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2018, 2019, 2020.
Also on the layers menu are annual continuous cliff lines from 2018 back to 2003, possibly the only such set available online, as well as some (not particularly useful) Lidar elevations.
Page prepared by Brian Williams in April 2019.