Bluesky Geospatial debuts MetroVista programme for 3D mapping in the USA

Bluesky Geospatial has announced the launch of its MetroVista 3D aerial mapping programme in the USA. The service employs a hybrid imaging-Lidar airborne sensor to capture highly detailed 3D data, including 360-degree views of buildings and street-level features, in urban areas for use in creating digital twins, visualizations and simulations.

Bluesky’s sister company Bluesky International, based in Leicestershire, UK, developed and introduced the MetroVista programme in the UK in 2018 and has since mapped more than 20 cities across England and Scotland in 3D. Boston is the first metropolitan area completed by Bluesky Geospatial in the USA.

Measuring, modelling and analysing without leaving the office

“For many clients, the MetroVista 3D dataset serves as the foundation for highly detailed digital twins at the heart of smart city initiatives,” said Bluesky chief commercial officer, Ralph Coleman. “The rich information content of the 3D data enables accurate visualization of existing features for informed decision-making and realistic simulation of future development for comparative analysis.”

The MetroVista product is already being used in city management and urban planning for agencies as diverse as emergency services, transportation, environmental protection and utilities. Bluesky has seen rapid growth in the adoption of 3D datasets and digital twins in the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC), real estate and insurance sectors.

For data collection, Bluesky flies the airborne Leica CityMapper-2 hybrid sensor which captures simultaneous oblique and nadir imagery along with Lidar elevation measurements. Bluesky processes the data to create georeferenced 3D mesh models with 5cm resolution and 10cm accuracy. The 3D models are delivered in a variety of formats for direct ingest into GIS and CAD environments.

“The MetroVista 3D product allows managers and planners to measure, model and analyse the terrain and features in their cityscapes with confidence – all without leaving the office,” said Coleman.

The MetroVista US programme builds on a nearly 80-year legacy of delivering accurate, reliable and high-quality mapping projects under the Col-East name since 1946 and as part of the Bluesky brand since 2017. Along with its full line of aerial mapping services, Bluesky Geospatial will perform MetroVista city projects for clients in the Northeastern USA and beyond, adding to its archive of aerial imagery, photography and Lidar products.