Geolocation Exercises

[Giddierone]

Where exactly was this taken today?

 

[JMartJr]

Well, the gorse is a clue. Doesn't nail it down, but narrows it down.

 

[JMartJr]

Oh, I missed the tank, that's a clue, too I wonder if it is on a military range in Britain...

 

[Ridcully]

Kind of a lucky find. I guess the location should be here:

Spoiler

South England, on the SW Coast Path, looking at Lulworth Castle: Google Maps

First I suspected it to be part of the Maginot line in France so I did a picture search with "france abandoned tank" trying to find one with a similar biome. After some misses I've found one that fit quite nicely.

Quick check on Google Earth showed that the surrounding terrain details like roads, hills and buildings matched pretty good:

Last proof was the little white house in the distance which fits quite well. Also the roof form of the mansion fits.

Was my guess correct?

 

[Giddierone]

Was my guess correct?

Perfect!
RIS is usually my first call but with this one I checked it with Overpass Turbo [Landuse=military / military=training_area] which, used with other terrain details, narrows it down quite quickly if you "fly" over the various sites you can line up all the features quickly.

Spoiler: Answer

Google Earth even has a decent "street view" from almost exactly where I was standing.

 

[Trailblazer]

I see this has already been solved - that area would have been my guess too as it's not flat enough to be Salisbury Plain, which is also well littered with tanks! Picture from a bike ride a couple of years ago. I decided not to wander over for a closer look...

 

[Giddierone]

https://earthkit.app/ appears to be a useful tool for geolocation. It allows Overpass Turbo queries to be generated from natural language inputs using AI. This does a great job of finding actual OSM tags for things.

The Geoestimation tool seems quite good too. Here i've input the image from #38 with no other prompt, and it's narrowed a global search to the North of England / Scotland, which is a pretty good starting point.

 

[NorCal Dave]

The Geoestimation tool seems quite good too. Here i've input the image from #38 with no other prompt, and it's narrowed a global search to the North of England / Scotland, which is a pretty good starting point.

You can just put in a photo and it'll at least give you a starting area? That's pretty slick. I was trying to use it, but my PC is giving me grief right now. It's a clunker.

 

[Giddierone]

Okay, where exactly did I recently photograph this landed Calvine UFO?

 

[jarlrmai]

Unlikely but can anyone find this airport structure (jetbridge?) apparently at Newark?


Source: https://imgur.com/a/d0vXI1t


Has 3400 on it.

The suspicion is the lights are from a tower.

 

[deirdre]

not sure the 3400 means anything besides maybe a "model number" for the i assume ventilation device

 

[Giddierone]

Unlikely but can anyone find this airport structure (jetbridge?) apparently at Newark?


Source: https://imgur.com/a/d0vXI1t


Has 3400 on it.

The suspicion is the lights are from a tower.

OMG!
View attachment 77752

 

[john.phil]

Unlikely but can anyone find this airport structure (jetbridge?) apparently at Newark?

Source: https://imgur.com/a/d0vXI1t


Has 3400 on it.

The suspicion is the lights are from a tower.

3400 is the model of the Pre-Conditioned Air (PCA) unit attached to the passenger boarding bridge. This unit is now discontinued, replaced with the 3500, and it's manufactured by ITW GSE:

https://itwgse.com/products/discontinued/itw-gse-3400-pca/

source: https://itwgse.com/gallery/itw-gse-3400-pca/

 

[deirdre]

Unlikely but can anyone find this airport structure (jetbridge?) apparently at Newark?

is that from some thread? did they give a date filmed or flight they were on etc? thre are vids people take of taking off, landing but dont want to waste time if we dont at least know a date.

 

[Giddierone]

Apple maps has better imagery of the hardwear on the walk ways. Maybe on of these C gates looking toward the control tower (out of shot) or the lower tower on Express Rd?
[40.69677° N, 74.17541° W]

 

[deirdre]

looking toward the control tower (out of shot)

i didnt look a ton, but i didnt see any video of the control towers actually flashing. and the tower lights seem to be solid red. (and it would be near impossible for the control towers to be completely dark,imo).

 

[jarlrmai]

Is the original thread, it got linked in a recent Reddit thread about NJ drone videos that were not planes


Source: https://www.reddit.com/r/NJDrones/comments/1ia1n8j/newark_airport/?share_id=-TP3epA7NZerro7_IPMmC


I thought it might be a fun Geolocation exercise and if we got it we might work out what the structure was, but it seemed unlikely because its taken from the secure area of an airport.

 

[deirdre]

I thought it might be a fun Geolocation exercise and if we got it we might work out what the structure was, but it seemed unlikely because its taken from the secure area of an airport.

so January 25th approx 7:30-7:50 New York Time.

he says that approach was closed. so... he's facing (allegedly) an approach not in use.

says he has longer vid but doesnt want to share (as it will geolocate him ) as his bosses logo.
says hes "quite far" from terminal b..whatever that means.

 

[deirdre]

it does kinda look like that tall tower is twinkling. at least once it got to the 'end of runway' side of the toweranyway...

Source: https://youtu.be/wVn1R0kVMos?t=306

 

[deirdre]

theres this, which is basically a field of "cranes ?" and im assuming would be facing "approach" ...maybe as this plane is taking off. lights arent blinking in this footage though.

(guys are on their own to orient themselves to footage to maybe track down at least direction gate would be. it seems to me the air filters are always on the left -if im walking inside TO the plane- no way i can do the spatial math to help pinpoint jetbridge location!

 

[Giddierone]

It's the control tower light guns flashing red lights to ground aircraft from the tower telling them to taxi clear from the landing strip in use.

 

[deirdre]

@jarlrmai

gate 138 is a decent match (everything matches) as far as the fence (only one that comes close really so far) and walkway being the right color. and since those crane banks are over by terminal A i THINK the airunit would be on the proper side to be facing that way.

edit: wait. if on the left side of jet bridge we'd be facing the wrong way. sorry. told you i suck at spatial shit.

the 3400 box is not in my pic as its from 2016.

https://www.northjersey.com/story/n...stomer-satisfaction-says-jd-power/1356717002/

 

[deirdre]

@jarlrmai also believe it or not all the terminals have instagram pages lol. from staff..so im thinking i can ask them, if we finetune area, to get more pics. i assume i can message on instagram. ?
even United airlines club terminal C has its own FB and instagram pages anyway if you narrow things down im not shy asking an employee to grab some pics

 

[jarlrmai]

Instagram does have DMs

 

[flarkey]

Could the 'drone' be this Celltower?

https://www.google.com/maps/@40.6922376,-74.1777599,3a,36.4y,301.82h,96.14t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sepmzZB_tlEk5DLwAKQrWrA!2e0!6shttps://streetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com/v1/thumbnail?cb_client=maps_sv.tactile&w=900&h=600&pitch=-6.142509898181174&panoid=epmzZB_tlEk5DLwAKQrWrA&yaw=301.82160168539104!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDIyNS4wIKXMDSoJLDEwMjExNDUzSAFQAw==

Location: 40.692499920328636, -74.17865572540533

 

[Giddierone]

Why isn't it this?

It's the control tower light guns flashing red lights to ground aircraft from the tower telling them to taxi clear from the landing strip in use.

https://pilotinstitute.com/light-gun-signals/

Could the 'drone' be this Celltower?

https://www.google.com/maps/@40.6922376,-74.1777599,3a,36.4y,301.82h,96.14t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sepmzZB_tlEk5DLwAKQrWrA!2e0!6shttps://streetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com/v1/thumbnail?cb_client=maps_sv.tactile&w=900&h=600&pitch=-6.142509898181174&panoid=epmzZB_tlEk5DLwAKQrWrA&yaw=301.82160168539104!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDIyNS4wIKXMDSoJLDEwMjExNDUzSAFQAw==

Location: 40.692499920328636, -74.17865572540533

View attachment 77785

 

[jarlrmai]

Light gun signals are used by ATC to give information to aircraft that are not contactable by radio. There are 3 different colors of lights; red, green and white. These signals can either be steady or flashing and have different meanings for aircraft in the air and on the ground.

So the flashing red would mean an aircraft not having radio or a radio malfunction, at Newark that seems more likley to be a radio malfunction

Flashing Red

What it Means if the Aircraft is in the Air:

A flashing red signal is definitely one to watch out for. It is safety-related. It means that the airport is, at present, unsafe, and an approach to landing should not be made. A flashing red is a real attention-getter. Remember that flashing red indicates danger, and you won't go far wrong.

What it Means if the Aircraft is on the Ground:

A flashing red light gun signal isn't quite as critical as when you are in the air. On the ground, it means that you must vacate the runway in use. You can expect to see this one just after you have completed your landing.

 

[jarlrmai]

Would use of the red light guns at Newark be something reportable?

 

[TEEJ]

I stumbled upon this YT channel. Possibly some interesting tips on how to geo locate images?


Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4btJwRAFPZ8


From

https://www.youtube.com/@GeoWizard/videos

 

[jarlrmai]

Reverse image searching the video thumbnail got me Lake Louise in like 30 seconds

Generally fairly basic stuff, when its tourist attractions. The Australia one was hard though.

 

[flarkey]

I recently geolocated the petrol station in this Alan Partridge video for someone on Reddit. The look of the petrol station has changed significantly since 1997 so reverse image search doesnt work. I had to use https://overpass-turbo.eu/ and https://osm-search.bellingcat.com/ to find the clues that can be seen.

Clue is that its in Southern England.

Source: https://youtu.be/9ured0oVW10?si=6OnS1QcgVEIJOIA8

Spoiler: Overpass Script

https://overpass-turbo.eu/s/1ZyE

 

[jarlrmai]

That Bellingcat tool is useful, pity there's no big UFO videos to debunk anymore.

 

[deirdre]

So the flashing red

but they arent flashing red only , they are mostly white. i couldnt find anything showing towers use white and red together (although i guess its possible). i like the tower idea but 1. the lights are kinda at an angle and 2.the tower is pretty lit up from the bottom in the flight landing and departure videos.

gate 138 is the only match ive seen so far (the 120 sections -i ve seen so far- dont have that rectangle piece on the fencing), the angle of his pic seems to me to face the double tree hotel (but im not that great at angles). so facing nothing really.

the Poster did suggest the direction he was facing, the "approach" was not being used..so i assume the short runway. @flarkey can you tell which way the planes would land on that short runway? IF the planes do land this way on the short runway (im seeing mixed signals regarding which way they land), then the crane bank is visible in that direction.
(not from gate 138 though)
*he could have his direction wrong of course. and is suspiciously refusing to mark his camera location.

 

[jarlrmai]

but they arent flashing red only , they are mostly white. i couldnt find anything showing towers use white and red together (although i guess its possible). i like the tower idea but 1. the lights are kinda at an angle and 2.the tower is pretty lit up from the bottom in the flight landing and departure videos.

The other lights are normal lights and the red ones are gun lights, but it does seem like the body of the tower is lit in most night shots of the Newark tower.

 

[jarlrmai]

Looking at videos It looks like light guns are directed at specific planes.

 

[deirdre]

The other lights are normal lights and the red ones are gun lights

i assume were talking the tall tower right, as the short tower we would see the control room lit up? all the pics, vids ive seen of the tall tower the normal lights are solid red. I'm not arguing with anything you are saying, just adding info.

 

[Trailblazer]

I recently geolocated the petrol station in this Alan Partridge video for someone on Reddit. The look of the petrol station has changed significantly since 1997 so reverse image search doesnt work. I had to use https://overpass-turbo.eu/ and https://osm-search.bellingcat.com/ to find the clues that can be seen.

Clue is that its in Southern England.

Source: https://youtu.be/9ured0oVW10?si=6OnS1QcgVEIJOIA8

Spoiler: Overpass Script

https://overpass-turbo.eu/s/1ZyE
View attachment 77797

Being a big Alan Partridge fan I already knew exactly where that petrol station is. It's also very close to the pub from the same series which is supposed to be in the Norfolk Broads (not a spoiler, as it isn't there at all). I also located the oast house used in the publicity shots for his From the Oasthouse podcast. (Again, not in Norfolk.)

However, one AP location I have been trying to track down for a long time is his house being built. I'm pretty sure it is a real house.

If anyone can, Metabunk can.

I suspect, from the landscape and the fact that other scenes were filmed nearby, that it is somewhere near Aveley or Thurrock in Essex, but I haven't yet pinned it down.

I think these two types of pylon will be the big clue.

 

[AmberRobot]

Reverse image searching the video thumbnail got me Lake Louise in like 30 seconds

Generally fairly basic stuff, when its tourist attractions. The Australia one was hard though.

That's funny.. I recognized it instantly from the "beehive" hill. Did a great hike there a ways back.

 

[flarkey]

I think these two types of pylon will be the big clue.
View attachment 77805

Urgh, I'm now becoming an expert in UK Electricity Pylons. The big ones (that the technical term) are 400kV pylons like this:

Source

Open Infrastructure Map shows their routes around southern England:

https://openinframap.org/#7.12/51.564/0.448/L,P (the purple lines are 400kV)

These can be found in the OSM Database with the tag way: voltage=400000. I've tried finding location where they are close to other power poles and also close to a building=house, but thats bringing up too many matches to go through.

https://overpass-turbo.eu/s/1ZCD

The Dan, Dan, Daaaaan! scene has some very similar countryside with many pylons and the same car, but not many clues as to where it might be. This frame shows a large bridge in the background, which I think could be the Dartford Crossing, or possibly the Orwell Bridge in Suffolk. Any ideas?

 

[TEEJ]

@flarkey

The Dan, Dan, Daaaaan! scene is at the following.

Location: The Wildwood Golf and Country Club, Alfold, Surrey, England.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/BHbKGEGoVVYUUywq8

Video will play at set time.


Source: https://youtu.be/b3WwKnJ_Lrs?t=79