Questions about this tail number and the aircraft location

[Petros]

N21767_2015-02-07.png

Aircraft is registered to AIR AMERICA IMAGERY LLC
according to FAA http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinqu...umbertxt=21767

Aircraft is listed here at the company's website:
http://airamericafc.com/cessna-172sp/

two questions:

1. Why would the tail number be different than what's listed at the company's website?

2. Why would a plane that's supposed to be part of a fleet in Daytona Beach, Florida be flying on the other side of the USA near Albuquerque, New Mexico?

[Amper]

1.
First link Cessna 172S
Second link Cessna 172L
and pic may be old....or inocorrect
2.
Maybe somone ordered plane to take pictures?

[YSWG]

Could be NearMap? Handel Pty Ltd in Australia do the mapping for them using a Cessna 210 with a pod mounted on the side.

[Petros]

Here it is again today, flying the same strange pattern but over a different area of the city.

N21767_2015-02-08.png

From wikipedia about NearMap Ltd.

"A unique exclusive process of imagery capturing, processing and publishing is used. Traditionally, high resolution aerial imagery has to be captured by a low altitude flying aircraft, then the data is manually processed and stitched together digitally to create a PhotoMap, a slow process which can take months to complete."

Looks like Air America Imagery LLC (the owner of the plane according to the FAA registry) provides a similar service. You think they're mapping the city?

[Oblivian]

Likely.

Or chartered to do some survey work of a particular area at high resolution

[YSWG]

Albuquerque is on NearMap's coverage map.
http://us.nearmap.com/coverage (scroll down to and click on "PhotoMaps Coverage (PDF)")