For three years, Airbus’ twin high-resolution radar satellites, TerraSar-X and TanDEM-X, imaged the entire land surface of our planet multiple times to create the first ever global 12-meter (m) elevation model. Referred to as WorldDEMTM, this data is ideal for all mapping projects requiring accurate elevation models including orthorectification, floodplain determination, mineral exploration and hydrocarbon development.
A comparison of 30-m SRTM and 12-m WorldDEM elevation data over Arkansas, USA.WorldDEM September 2016 Product Updates
In June 2016, a significant change to the minimum order size was announced as it was reduced from 500 square kilometers (sq km) to just 100 sq km! That is a huge reduction in the minimum order price. In addition, the minimum order width is now just 1-km for a DSM and 2-km for a DTM. And then in August, prices for all three processed versions of WorldDEM went down over 25%!
During September, a massive section of Antarctica was made available as well as many of the islands in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans. WorldDEM areas that are available to order take a minimum of 10 days to deliver.
To date, there is more than 183,225,000 square kilometers (sq km) of WorldDEM data that is available! And some 15,708,000 sq km of WorldDEM was made available for delivery in the past month alone.
A coverage map of the one-degree cells that are currently available for delivery. Areas that are available will take a minimum of 10 days to deliver.WorldDEM Specifications
The key product specifications of Airbus’ WorldDEM are as follows:
- Resolution: 12-m
- Coverage: entire landmass of the Earth, ~150 million square kilometers (sq km)
- Absolute Vertical Accuracy: < 4-m Linear Error 90% (LE90)
- Relative Vertical Accuracy: < 2-m LE90 (slopes ≤ 20%), < 4-m LE90 (slopes > 20%)
- Absolute Horizontal Accuracy: < 10-m Circular Error 90% (CE90)
- Vintage: all data collected within 3 years
- Source: interferometry from synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites TerraSAR-X & TanDEM-X
- Minimum Order: 100 sq km per polygon
- File Format: GeoTIFF
- Projection: geographic WGS84 (EGM2008, vertical datum), meter vertical unit
- Product Line Options:
- WorldDEMcore – unedited digital surface model (DSM), includes spikes, wells and voids
- WorldDEM – a DSM with removal of artifacts and water body flattening
- WorldDEM DTM – artifacts and surface features removed, i.e. a digital terrain model (DTM)
WorldDEM Coverage and Pricing
WorldDEM data has a 100 sq km minimum order size with a 1-km for a DSM and 2-km for a DTM width requirement. Prices for all WorldDEM product lines have been set at:
- WorldDEMcore – $9.20 per sq km
- WorldDEM – $11.50 per sq km
- WorldDEM DTM – $18.40 per sq km (that’s a 40% savings from the original list price!)
WorldDEM Samples
You can download four 12-m WorldDEM samples here, including one of the WorldDEM DTM product:
- Buraydah, Saudi Arabia – desert with agriculture present; elevations from 576 m to 737 m provided in two formats, WorldDEMcore and WorldDEM
- Mjosa Lake, Norway – hilly terrain with large water bodies; 100 m to 840 m provided in two formats, WorldDEMcore and WorldDEM
- Rapid City, South Dakota, USA – moderate to hilly terrain; elevations from 927 m to 1,765 m provided in two formats, WorldDEM and WorldDEM DTM
- Wagga Wagga, Australia – forest and urban with many water bodies; 137 m to 922 m provided in two formats, WorldDEMcore and WorldDEM
For more information about 12-m WorldDEM data, please send us an email at sales@apollomapping.com or check our website here.
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