Britain from above

Satellite data and the latest computer generated imagery have been used in a recent BBC series to show how Britain is constantly on the move. Every aspect of modern technology in the power-packed world we live is recorded, showing the extent of technology which impacts daily on our lives.

It charts the planes in our skies, the internet connections zipping round London, black taxi routes by day and night. All of this is documented over the space of a single day and relayed in a series of images where streams of light and colour depict the flows of various traffics, creating an incredible sense of the way in which our world connects. The technology used also enables us to see through cloud cover and navigate the landscape from a fresh and new perspective.

Tea-Time Britain

Power surges called ‘TV pick ups’ are unique to Britain and occur when Eastenders ends and 1.75 million kettles are switched on. As grannies across Britain zimmer to their kitchens and rifle through biscuit barrels for the last custard cream the Engineers at the National Grid have something else to digest. At the National Grid control centre they have to be on the ball ready to manage this surge in demand for power – this greed and thirst! All of this is done from their computerised control base whether the kettle is in Inverness or Eastbourne.

Traffic Control

Another control centre houses a small team of experts who monitor and manage the flow of pedestrians and traffic. Those at traffic control can switch the traffic lights at the touch of a button!

As for the planes storming our skies, over 7,500 aircraft navigate British airspace every day, and these all have to be managed by the beady-eyed at Air Traffic Control. London cabbies are continuously prowling round London and route maps were reproduced using satellite technology so you see streams of light darting round to represent the journeys they take all day and all night. Without technology none of this would be possible!