You're right. I checked a little more after I submitted the article (should have done it first). The images seem to be taken from about 20000 ft, but the drones purchased (http://microdrones.com/en_md4-1000_tech_data.php) can only fly up to about 3000 ft. These must have been from a plane instead. I apologize for the incorrect conclusion.

Could be. I tried checking: http://google-latlong.blogspot.com/2010/07/changing-your-perspective-once-again.html, and on there, "Aerial" isn't an option on the embedded maps, but instead "45" is when you roll-over on "Sat". On the linked map in the submission, you get to the aerial view by explicitly choosing "aerial," which implied to me that it was a different method.