Gaspard-Felix Tournachon (1820-1910), who also went by the pseudonym Nadar, is the first known person to use aerial photography, just 30 years after photography was invented. His platform was a balloon and images were first published in 1858, having patented the idea of using photography in mapmaking and surveying in 1855.
By trade he was an artist and journalist, but became so fascinated with remote sensing that he was in contact with the French Military about assisting with their campaigns in Italy, by taking 'military photographs.'
In 1863, his photography studio became the home of The Society for the Encouragement of Aerial Locomotion by means of Heavier-than-Air Machines. Jules Verne was secretary and Nadar was honorary president. Nadar inspired several works by Verne.
Early attempts at aerial photography were hindered by the fact that each balloon/platform needed to carry virtually an entire darkroom onboard! For that reason none of Nadar's early work has even survived. The earliest aerial photographs date back to 1860. In 1871 the dry plate photographic process was invented and this led to the use of kites, rockets and even pigeons to deploy cameras. Alfred Nobel of the famed Nobel Prize was the first to deploy a camera in a rocket in 1897. Soon after photography was used extensively in World War I which led to additional innovation.
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Remote sensing has become the basis for much of GIS and Location Intelligence, so it's hard to overstate Nadar's contributions in this area. With may other firsts credited to him, including the development of airmail during the Siege of Paris in 1871, Nadar was a true renaissance man.
http://professionalaerialphotographers.com/content.aspx?page_id=22&club_id=808138&module_id=158950
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aerial_photography
http://iphf.org/inductees/nadar-gaspard-felix-tournchon/