PeakVisor mobile app and the website require a wide range of topography data to work and satisfy all the needs of outdoors enthusiasts. We spent an enormous amount of time crafting 3D Maps and Augmented Reality Peaks Identification on mobile phones with their limited resources. But even more time is dedicated to processing the heaps of data from various sources. Our data pipeline contains terabytes of Digital Elevation Models (DEMs), millions of geographic points (including more than a million named peaks), worldwide satellite imagery for 3D maps, and a great many processing steps.
Having collaborated with many other projects, we figured out that the same data can be used for a great many other cases. That would be a pity if our topographic data pipeline served only PeakVisor needs (which are enormous, to say the least). Here I’ll do my best to briefly describe major targeted data blocks which we can provide. Obviously, there is terrain 3D modelling, topographic analysis, satellite imagery, just to name a few.
One of the most important advantages of our processed data sources is that they are composed of numerous sources in various formats and cross-checked with each other to fix issues in the original data. As a result, we have higher quality data in a unified format for the whole world.
The data blocks listed below from higher level and more complex structures to lower levels of almost raw data have gone through quality assurance and cross-check only.
glTF 3D Models
Worldwide terrain models based on 1 arc-second DEMs (~30 meters grid with a vertical accuracy of several meters) with satellite layer from Sentinel-2 imagery or vector landcover (terrain types). These models can be rendered through HTTP API in a matter of seconds. Here is a sample of Matterhorn, one of the finest mountains in the world.
Matterhorn 3D model
Topographic Parameters
In order to structure mountain data, we calculate a wide range of topographic measurements for peaks all over the world. Prominence is the most obvious one, but there are many more. Isolation island, topographic parent, and key col are just the founding fathers, with many offspring notions coming by. We already published our calculation code but if you prefer just to have the data, get in touch with us. We love talking about mountains.
Location Refinement
Most of the mountains were mapped long before high-precision GPS services were even imaginable, many mountains weren't well-positioned during digital mapping, let alone the issue of actual mountain heights. At the end of the day, only with a high-precision 3D map several metres do make a difference. So, we have a refinement HTTP API which allows finding local maxima for any geographical point thus helping find the true location of a summit and its elevation according to the most recent Digital Elevation Model (several metres accuracy).
Cloudless Seasonal Satellite Imagery
In order to make PeakVisor 3D Maps look spectacular, we always search for ideal atmosphere conditions and stitch them into cloudless tiles for the whole world. Many parts of the world require at least two seasons - winter and summer - since the scenery differs dramatically.
Digital Elevation Model
Stitched from various sources and encoded in unified format 1 second and 1 arc-second DEMs for the whole Earth, it includes even the tiniest islands in the Atlantic Ocean.
If you see something needed for your projects in this list or have an idea for something not mentioned above please, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at peakvisor@routes.tips.