New Zealand’s most current publicly owned aerial imagery, covering 95 per cent of the country, is now available online.

Land Information New Zealand has been working with other agencies to make imagery available under an open licence, and to ensure that it is accessible through the LINZ Data Service.

“Releasing publicly held aerial imagery for reuse has the potential to create cost savings for the public sector and generate economic benefits for the private sector,” said Land Information New Zealand Minister Maurice Williamson.

“Imagery can be used to improve productivity in agriculture and forestry, and can be used in construction, engineering, disaster recovery planning, and land and asset management.

“Making aerial imagery available is in line with the government’s goal to make more publicly held data accessible to as many people as possible,” Mr Williamson says.

LINZ is also working with local authorities and government agencies to establish a national programme for coordinating public sector imagery purchases. This will ensure that imagery is purchased on an open licence and at a consistent standard, which will mean value for money and open access.