1. 航空的；飞机的；由飞机进行的；空中的
    You talk about aerial attacks and aerial photographs to indicate that people or things on the ground are attacked or photographed by people in aeroplanes.

    e.g. Weeks of aerial bombardment had destroyed factories and highways...
           数周的空中轰炸已经摧毁了许多工厂和公路。
    e.g. Patterns that are invisible on the ground can be the most striking part of an aerial photograph...
           地面上看不出来的图案可能会成为航拍照片中最引人注目的东西。

2. 空气中的；地表以上的
    You can use aerial to describe things that exist or happen above the ground or in the air.

aerial的近义词

    e.g. The seagulls swirled in aerial combat over the barges.
           海鸥盘旋在驳船上方，展开空中的搏斗。

3. 天线
    An aerial is a device or a piece of wire that receives television or radio signals and is usually attached to a radio, television, car, or building.

    e.g. ...a saucer-shaped satellite television aerial.
           碟状的卫星电视天线
    e.g. ...the radio aerials of taxis and cars.
           出租车和轿车的无线电天线