Simple resizing is only a rough approximation and is not a fully realistic simulation of increased camera distance.

Changing distance does two things:

1. It changes sampling/resolution on the subject, which downsampling can approximate.
2. It can change perspective/geometry, which a single image cannot recover or simulate accurately without extra scene information or multiple viewpoints.

So with just one image, you cannot truly simulate a new camera distance in a physically correct way.

For aerial imagery, if your goal is mainly to mimic loss of detail at longer range, a better approximation is:

• downsample to reduce ground sampling detail, then
• apply blur to simulate sharpness loss / system MTF effects.

That blur represents losses from the sensor and atmosphere; simple decimation alone may leave the result unrealistically crisp.

If perspective change matters, you would need multiple images, scene geometry, or explicit geometric warping based on a model. If only apparent resolution matters, resize plus appropriate blur is the practical approach.