AbstractAerial archaeology is an established prospection method, but its systems and techniques have changed very little since its first applications. The advent of modern high‐resolution digital cameras, with better image resolution and image depth than comparable analogue photography, offers the possibility of a full digital workflow. A new system is being developed to fulfil all the requirements of aerial archaeology. The images are stored on a PC, together with associated geographical data, including the location and orientation of the camera stations. A GIS displays the camera stations together with the flight path. Once the photographic record of a site is finished, the geographical co‐ordinates of the target are calculated automatically, and combined with other data from a simple user interface to provide a complete primary data set during the flight. This allows the investigator to spend more time searching for sites during the flight, and simplifies the interpretation and analysis of the images in the office. This paper presents several new approaches to full integration of the systems involved. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.