Meaning & use
height above ground
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Meanings
noununcountabletechnical
The vertical distance between an object and the ground directly below it.
Grammar: Used as a fixed phrase, often preceded by 'the' or a possessive; not usually plural.
Patterns
- height above ground of something
- at a height above ground
The drone can fly at a maximum height above ground of 400 feet.
Engineers measured the height above ground of the bridge supports.
For safe landing, pilots must know their height above ground, not just altitude above sea level.
noununcountabletechnical
In aviation, the distance from an aircraft to the terrain directly beneath it, often abbreviated AGL.
Grammar: Used in phrases like 'height above ground level' or 'AGL' in technical contexts.
Patterns
- height above ground level
- AGL
The warning system alerts the pilot when the height above ground drops below 500 feet.
During the approach, the crew monitored their height above ground carefully.
The helicopter hovered at a height above ground of just 20 meters.
Common combinations
- maximum height above ground
- The maximum height above ground for this kite is 100 meters.
- height above ground level
- The instrument shows height above ground level in real time.
- measure the height above ground
- Surveyors measure the height above ground of each tree in the plot.
- at a height above ground
- The platform is at a height above ground of 10 meters.
Synonyms and how they differ
Commonly confused: height above ground or altitude?
height above ground vs altitude
Altitude is height above sea level, whereas height above ground is the distance to the ground directly underneath. In aviation, confusing the two can be dangerous.
Practice
The pilot checked the __________ to ensure the plane was not too close to the mountains.
Choose one answer.
Height above ground is the distance to the terrain directly below, which is critical for avoiding mountains. Altitude is height above sea level, which does not tell you how close you are to the ground. Elevation is often used for land height above sea level, and depth is for distance downward.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “height above ground”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.