Using Google Maps as your sole aerial mapping tool for long-range GS flights is foolish at best. Just like any good pilot knows, you need to be well-prepared in your flight plan using all resources available to you.
For example, here's a cell tower located near my house taken from Bing Maps "bird's eye view". These bird's eye view images are photographs taken at oblique angle from low-flying aircraft.
Now here is the same cell tower as shown on Google Earth. These are satellite images and dont provide any 3D info. about tall structures like cell towers, water towers, etc. Fortunately, this image was taken on a sunny day so you can see the shadow of the cell tower. However shadows can be misleading because they depend on the angle of the sun and therefore don't give accurate depictions of the heights of towers.
So if you want to get serious about long-distance Ground Station flights and ensure the highest safety margin for getting your bird back in one piece --- use both Google Earth and Bing Maps "bird view" to plan your flight path! Google Maps has better tools for GPS coordinates & distance measuring and the satellite photos are more up-to-date, but Bing Maps "bird's eye view" is superior for locating tall structures like cell towers and water towers.
:mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: