New Imagery!
One of our most popular map layers, Imagery, has gotten a fresh update! Imagery allows you to visualize terrain around the globe right on your device and we’re excited to announce some big improvements for users both inside and outside the US.
In select locations outside of the contiguous United States (CONUS), we now have high resolution printable and downloadable imagery from Vantor. If you use the Imagery layer outside of CONUS and either print (PDF and JPG) or download offline, you will see new, higher resolution imagery in this map layer. This will match the resolution level you see when online. We are excited to address many user requests over the years for higher resolution downloads outside of the US, specifically in regards to imagery losing resolution when downloaded or printed in these areas in the past.
At this time, the new Vantor Imagery covers the following areas (We hope to include additional locations going forward):
- Canada
- Alaska
- Hawaii
- Europe
- Japan
- New Zealand
- Baja California
- Parts of the Caribbean
In the contiguous United States, the Imagery layer has been updated to new data, meaning new aerial images to help you plan your next adventure! In CONUS, this layer pulls from NAIP datasets from 2021-2023. You will also see additional historical NAIP layers available in the Layer Catalog, (2011-2013, 2013-2015, 2016-2018, and 2019-2021). These allow you to select the timeframe that looks best in your area, and to help you visualize changes in the landscape over time.
If you are using CalTopo online on (web or mobile) or printing, you won’t need to do anything differently to access the new Imagery. If you have previously downloaded Imagery on your mobile device for offline use, you will need to update your downloaded tiles.
The following is our recommended workflow for updating your downloaded tiles in the mobile app to ensure you have the up-to-date Imagery next time you are outside of cell service:
- First, ensure you are on the most recent app version, which is 1.26 (to see this select the three bar menu upper left, settings, scroll to the bottom). If you are not, please update your app version from the app store when it is available. You may not see the new version for a few days.
- Second, you will need to delete your old imagery tiles to get the new data. In the Download Layers screen for imagery, you will see previously downloaded imagery tiles highlighted in red. These red tiles indicate that newer imagery is available for those areas. In the United States, this means more recent imagery is available. In the international areas mentioned earlier, it indicates that higher-resolution imagery is available. Select the tiles to be deleted, following the instructions in this section of the userguide: Deleting Downloaded Layers.
- Lastly, re-download the tiles you need Imagery for in the same manner you always do: Download Layers for Offline Use.
*If you have large/varying areas of imagery downloaded, you may consider deleting/re-downloading these tiles in sets/chunks in the same area. This way you can see what tiles you had in red, delete them, and immediately re-download those same tiles.
We are so excited to bring you an Imagery update! Please send us an email at help@caltopo.com, or comment below with questions.
“In the Download Layers screen for imagery, you will see previously downloaded imagery tiles highlighted in red. These red tiles indicate that newer imagery is available for those areas. In the United States, this means more recent imagery is available”
I don’t understand. If the app/desktop can identify the out of date layers, why can’t it just automatically update, or provide a button to update, the out of date imagery, instead of forcing users to jump through the hoops in the instructions?
Hi Tony,
Out-of-date layer detection is unique to this one-time layer update. A generalized approach to updating old layers is on our radar. However, we decided not to build a one-off tool just for this specific layer, because we wanted to get the imagery out sooner.
Hi, is there away to change the imagery layer back? Where I currently am (Switzerland), the satellite imagery used in the “Imagery” layer is much worse than the previous one. It’s really outdated (2023-2024), compared to the satellite imagery used by CalTopo before and others (e.g. Google, which uses Airbus, Maxar imagery from 2026). Furthermore, it’s also no longer possible to zoom in as much as before because the Vantor imagery just becomes very pixelated due to the lack of resolution. Unfortunately, it’s not possible to attach a screenshot here.
Thanks for the feedback on the new imagery. We are looking into this and discussing the change as a team.
Hi, I am also experiencing a huge degradation in quality of the Imagery layer compared to last week when fully zoomed in. I’m looking at remote locations in the state of Utah.
Thanks for the feedback on the new imagery. We are looking into this and discussing the change as a team.
Me too – northern BC image quality is very pixelated compared to before.
Thanks for the feedback on the new imagery. We are looking into this and discussing the change as a team.
(Angeles Nat Forest) The updated imagery is appreciated – it is pixelated though and it blurs on zoom unlike previous imagery which was zoomable. We’re a trail repair crew and use zoomed imagery for this ap all the time.
Thanks for the feedback on the new imagery. We are looking into this and discussing the change as a team.
Unfortunately, my cell phone ap updated the imagery yesterday evening while I really needed the zoom-in to be clear – out on a trail we’re restoring, in a poor GPS section where visual clues were needed. Please just bring back the option of the old imagery as soon as possible. We are relying on it right now for the project we’re in the middle of.
Please bring back old imagery. The ‘new’ one is older date and way lower resolution. The old maxar ones were the best in terms of quality and date taken.
It seems to be worse all around the world. If you can, at least offer us aditional imagery layer to choose from. I used to create hiking maps, but it is bow useless for terrain navigation.
The new imagery is lower resolution than the previous version. Not an upgrade.
I am in agreement with all other comments, the new Imagery looks good at 500ft but when zooming in it barely usable.
I have been working on maps for a canoe trip in central Quebec, I was about 2/3 of the way through when you made the change. Initially (and for past trips) I was able to classify rapids with reasonable accuracy, even identify if the left or right of the river would be best for running a particular rapid. After the switch all I can get is a pixelated image that is pretty much useless, it could be Class 2 or it could be a 20ft ledge!
I hope you can fix the issue (which sounded very promising) or revert to the previous imagery.
I have to agree with the other comments. The new imagery is a huge downgrade. I have to make maps for herbicide applications and the new imagery is a big hinderance for people. Not much point in making maps now.
new maps are blurry, please restore old images immediately!
I agree with all the other comments – very pixelated a higher magnifications. I am a paid member so I usually use google satellite. However when looking up trails the google satellite view often shows up as snow covered so I rely on the “imagery” layer which is not very useful in the present form. When all else fails, I export a KML file and then import into Google Earth which then has a series of Historical imagery which will usually work.
awesome…so I noticed a lot of the Sierra Nevada in California has been scanned with some sort of business jet and lidar or perhaps laser?? I am not for sure, but it is insanely detailed beyond belief and practically blew up my compooter when I downloaded the point cloud. I had to use software called “cloud compare” to visualize the data. But it was amazingly accurate to where you could see large clumps of branches / needles on sparsely needled pine trees. I was blown away and it was very data intense and exciting! I used it for some cross country route finding on some steeper terrain and it was very handy. Is that bodacious layer going to be added to your system and available to the public in the near future before I travel to the “other side” ?