python - Bing Maps API BirdsEye Off Centre

Question

I have recently been looking at using Bing Maps API to return images of properties and was very interested in the oblique imagery provided by Bing.

It seems that the API does offer this imagery and there are examples of this working. However, when I go to implement it myself, I find that the birdseye view does not return the building of interest. It returns a view off centre of the point put into the url.

An example of this is the place below, which shows the URL for looking at the Leadenhall building in City of London:

aerial_url = http://dev.virtualearth.net/REST/V1/Imagery/Map/Aerial/51.5138,-0.0821/18?&key={api_key}

birdseye_url = http://dev.virtualearth.net/REST/V1/Imagery/Map/BirdsEyeV2/51.5138,-0.0821/18?&key={api_key}

You will notice that the build is top right of the second image, rather than centre as in the first image.

Is anyone able to help me resolve this, as ideally I would want it to be centre of the image?

Thanks

question from:https://stackoverflow.com/questions/66063665/bing-maps-api-birdseye-off-centre

Answer 1

I took a look at it, and it looks to be centered correctly. It's hard to tell comparing at the same zoom level. Setting the aerial image to zoom level 17 helps provide a better overview so you can better match the images. Note that the coordinates are based on the ground, not building heights. Aerial images are captured looking straight down while birdseye are captured at approximately 45 degree angle.