Detection of outdoor grows by satellite/photo

I know this is mentioned constantly and a great worry but I want to ensure you that every study I have came across has found it impossible unless you are growing massive plots. Grow on my brothers
 

TWS

Well-Known Member
And what makes you so certain ? I can see the address on your mail on Google Earth .
 
And what makes you so certain ? I can see the address on your mail on Google Earth .
Depends what the area is but all of the studies (published papers) found it impossible to do on a large scale. Also Google maps is not the best source. The data is acquired from satellites such as LANDSAT where the resolution is low. Sure a low flying plane might be able to collect photos with high enough resolution but single or widely spaced plants is impossible to detect due to the resolution and weakness of NDVI. I'll try to link some studies when im at the computer
 

Larry {the} Gardener

Well-Known Member
Like most things in life, it depends. I saw pictures of grows in large cornfields that were easily spotted. Also there are some side by side photos of hilltops in Nor Cal that is as plain as the nose on your face. But for normal, half way hid grows, Google Earth is not a concern. Most of the time the pictures are 6-18 months old anyway.
 
Like most things in life, it depends. I saw pictures of grows in large cornfields that were easily spotted. Also there are some side by side photos of hilltops in Nor Cal that is as plain as the nose on your face. But for normal, half way hid grows, Google Earth is not a concern. Most of the time the pictures are 6-18 months old anyway.
Large grows in corn field or in a hillside or anywhere in the open are easy to spot especially if they are in an ordered pattern
 
True that. Trails are one of the biggest reason patches are found. They can be spotted from the air. So when you can, walk under trees.
I'll have to get a thread going with my old techniques. I created automated watering and fertilizing systems completely hidden underground and would check the grows only sparingly using binoculars most of the time with only minimal visits to the plant
 
I wish I had pics of my tree grows 0.75-1.25lb dry yields growing 25-35ft in the air. The planning and work is obviously greater but the yield is far better then under the trees and less animal damage
 

Larry {the} Gardener

Well-Known Member
Large grows in corn field or in a hillside or anywhere in the open are easy to spot especially if they are in an ordered pattern
Yep. But even for them, most of the time the bud is in the drying room long before the picture is updated.
I'll have to get a thread going with my old techniques. I created automated watering and fertilizing systems completely hidden underground and would check the grows only sparingly using binoculars most of the time with only minimal visits to the plant
One of my old growing buddies did the same thing with the binoculars. He hardly ever went to his plants. Just when they had to be sexed, then later when his ferts begin to run out. But I think he depended on rain for his watering. Back then, you just planted 100 plants and if 50 of them made it to harvest, you were happy. {seeds are free, you know}
 

ganga gurl420

Well-Known Member
Yeah... Google maps update the pictures in late fall and the plants are already cut down every time I look at my plot.
 

757growin

Well-Known Member
I can see my spring crop from last year on Google earth/sattletite. Not sure the name of the site. But you can only see the shapes of the plants. You can't tell what is growing.
 
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