Hello.Is it possible to use Google earth satellite photos in sceneries or are we infringing copyrights?. I'd like to do a photoreal scenery based on the google images but don't dare to do anything until I have this point clear.Regards,Christian.

There's already a thread on this subject which was last updated today:http://forums.avsim.net/dcboard.php?az=sho...d=267105&page=2

In addition to the thread you were pointed to, the google images have a faint watermark--you have to focus to see it, but it's there. It's an effective way of reducing the quality of it as a source for photoreal scenery, and identifying anyone who violates the copyright on the images.-John

Not a lawyer, but as I pointed out in another thread, the EULA for the "free" version suggests that it is a violation. I was interersted in doing something like this in another application, and without directly querying Google it appeared to me I would have to buy the US$400 "pro" license.I suppose one could sample the data as a "fair use", but to be safe you should ask Google directly. Who knows, maybe they would say it's OK?I suggest looking at the data in MS Terraserver and NASA Worldwind and maybe there is some unrestricted data that could be used. This is what I am doing for a Washington DC mall area project. The USGS data is better than Google Earth (.25 meter resolution).scott s..

>Not a lawyer, but as I pointed out in another thread, the>EULA for the "free" version suggests that it is a violation. >I was interersted in doing something like this in another>application, and without directly querying Google it appeared>to me I would have to buy the US$400 "pro" license.>>I suppose one could sample the data as a "fair use", but to be>safe you should ask Google directly. Who knows, maybe they>would say it's OK?>>scott s.>.Even with the $400 pro version of Google Earth, you don't get a license to use the aerial imagery. That stuff cost millions of dollars and much of it is not even owned by Google.So, in other words, I seriously doubt we can legally use the Google imagery.BUT....if you are doing scenery for area in the US, then the USGS does have lots of great color aerial photography available. And that can be used since it's public domain. You can download it directly from here http://seamless.usgs.gov/ or get program called USAPhotomaps which will stitch it together. From here http://jdmcox.com/Matt Fox

Thank you all for the replies. I guess that is one idea that will have to be scrubbed.Regards, Christian.