How does airborne GPS improve aerial mapping?

Airborne GPS significantly enhances aerial mapping by providing precise positioning of the aircraft during data collection. This precision is crucial because accurate location data results in high-quality mapping outputs. The accurate positioning allows surveyors to correlate the mapped features with real-world coordinates, ensuring that the geographic information collected aligns perfectly with the intended reference points on Earth. This improves the overall integrity and usability of the maps produced, as even slight discrepancies in position can lead to substantial errors in mapping applications, such as land use planning or infrastructure development.

Other options, while they may have merits in different contexts, do not specifically address the primary benefit that airborne GPS brings to aerial mapping efforts. For instance, increasing the resolution of photos relates more to the camera and sensor technology rather than the GPS aspect. Reducing file size pertains to data management, which is important but not a direct improvement from the use of airborne GPS, and automating photo processing steps focuses on workflow efficiency rather than enhancing positional accuracy. Thus, the correct option highlights the vital role of precision in providing reliable mapping information.