High-resolution Homogeneous DSM for Germany

Hexagon's Geosystems division is to provide a homogeneous, comprehensive digital surface model (DSM) for Germany under a contract awarded by the German Federal Agency for Cartography and Geodesy (BKG). The data is provided via the HxGN Content Program, a licensed, high-quality geospatial data service from Hexagon. The programme was launched in 2014 and is currently available in Europe and North America.

The BKG has datasets with general height information of the Earth's surface across its entire federal territory. However, these can vary from state to state because they are generated from different source data. An up-to-date, homogeneous and high-resolution DSM is required by organizations operating across state borders, such as the Federal Agency for Technical Relief (THW), the German Air Traffic Control, the German Armed Forces Geoinformation Centre and the Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance. The data must meet high quality requirements for positional and vertical accuracy, resolution, currency and flexible licensing options for the federal government, the states, European and international organizations. In addition, the HxGN Content Program offers powerful streaming services.

DSM enhances the digital industry

The DSM is not only of interest to government agencies. The data also offers great value to companies such as telecommunication providers, utilities, transportation networks or insurance companies. Apart from traditional applications, the data is also used in the digital industry to automatically extract features for example with artificial intelligence (AI) or as a base map for the self-driving cars industry. In addition to the DSM, Hexagon also provides aerial imagery (orthophotos) that correlates with the DSM because it is generated from the same data source.

"We are pleased to provide the BKG and the German government agencies with the first high-resolution, homogeneous DSM based on the HxGN Content Program to support sovereign federal tasks," says John Welter, president geospatial content solutions at Hexagon. "With the HxGN Content Program’s extensive coverage across Europe and North America, we can offer these and additional aerial data products to other countries as well.”