Shippee-Johnson Peruvian Expedition (1931)

The 1931 Shippee-Johnson Peruvian Expedition, which lasted eight months, including 454 hours of flight time, was undertaken to create an aerial survey of the Pacific coast and Andes region of Peru. It was the first use of aerial photography to locate and document both archaeological sites and geographical features in South America.

The survey covered several thousands of kilometers of terrain, with specific emphasis on prehistoric ruins, lost villages and unusual landforms. Photographs of indigenous people were also taken on the ground.

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