Mapping After-dark Urban Environments: Aerial Surveying for Data Integration and Analysis

This paper presents the development of a georeferenced after-dark map of a university campus, covering approximately an area of 1 km<sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sup>, created through nighttime aerial surveying. The map was reconstructed from 894 photographs and georeferenced to enable further data integration and spatial analysis. After that, the collected data were processed to calculate luminance and detect lighting features using advanced techniques such as computer vision and machine learning. This study serves as an initial step towards future advancements and applications in urban lighting research and practice, supporting the importance of balancing the benefits of nighttime illumination with its potential adverse effects.