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In these days, I see small aircraft like P68 fly with a very accurate "grid-like" pattern. I'm sorry but I don't know the correct word. Here a couple of examples, grabbed today at the same time:

p68b-1

and

p68b-2

What kind of job they might do with these routes? I don't think it's about agriculture because the patterns are too long and they fly over cities and sea as well (and I don't think this kind of aircraft is the most suitable for such a task).

I thought about observation of restriction for COVID-19, but I would use helicopters instead of aircraft, and again the patterns are so long for just be sure if anyone goes out for a walk.

Any sort of collecting photographic data? Like Google does for its Maps?

Manu H
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Mark
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    Related: Why did this aircraft fly in this pattern over Southern Italy? – fooot May 04 '20 at 14:19
  • Welcome to AviationStackExchange. It seems that this question has popped up at lest once a month from newbie posters from the same region. This may or may not have anything to do with the current pandemic. This may be a scheduled aerial survey that goes unnoticed when people have more important activities taking their attention. – Dean F. May 04 '20 at 14:35
  • @DeanF. yes, it definitely makes sense. During "normal" days there are so many aircraft and it's very hard to spot this particular pattern. Now there are very few flights so it's very easy to spot them! – Mark May 04 '20 at 14:37
  • I tried to edit my comment to add info on the fleet operator for this and other posters’ questions. I made it an answer below instead. – Dean F. May 04 '20 at 14:45
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    The aircraft flown in the previous post from over three years ago is not listed in the fleet of aircraft for the company in question in your post. But, it was probably flying the same or similar mission. – Dean F. May 04 '20 at 15:02

2 Answers2

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These are most likely photography flights for cartography. Due to the COVID crisis, there are many flights like these lately because it is now easy to obtain permission from Air Traffic Control for these patterns.

DeltaLima
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  • I doubt this has anything to do with the lockdown. Lots of these flights take place every year, corona or not. – 60levelchange May 28 '20 at 19:50
  • @J.Hougaard This flight could be unrelated to the lockdown. But there are many of these photo flights taking place now, much more than usually and especially in CTR's. This specific flight is operating in the CTR of Venice and probably also in the CTR of Treviso. – DeltaLima May 28 '20 at 20:35
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This may or may not have anything to do with the covid-19 pandemic. This may be a scheduled aerial survey that goes unnoticed when people have more important activities taking their attention.

As a matter of fact, the last couple of newbies posted flights from the same company as you have posted today, Compagnia Generale Ripreseaeree Partenavia . You have posted a different aircraft from their fleet. But, it is the same private company.

Manu H
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Dean F.
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  • @ManuH - Other than removing the welcome, how else would it be edited without changing the answer? Also, the answer includes the aerial survey company which owns and operates this aircraft. The aircraft in the previously mentioned question marking this one as a duplicate is from a different company. Though, they are probably fulfilling the same or similar missions. – Dean F. May 04 '20 at 15:07