Razor-sharp 3D aerial imagery of the Netherlands is now available in ArcGIS

Esri and Kavel 10, a provider of high-quality Lidar data and aerial imagery, have launched a new premium 3D data bundle offering highly detailed and realistic spatial coverage of the Netherlands. Updated annually, the dataset captures aerial imagery at a resolution fine enough to distinguish small objects such as manhole covers and traffic signs, giving organizations direct access to current, reliable spatial information within ArcGIS. By making high-quality 3D data more accessible, the two parties aim to lower the barrier to adoption for organizations working on challenges related to the energy transition, climate adaptation, and the design and redesign of public space.

Demand for accurate, accessible and immediately actionable 3D spatial data is growing fast, particularly among organizations in construction, infrastructure, utilities and government. The ability to quickly understand existing conditions and build a clear, defensible rationale for key decisions is becoming a baseline requirement, not a differentiator.

A new 3D data bundle from Esri and Kavel 10 combines two complementary strengths to address this directly. Kavel 10 – which flies its own aircraft across the entirety of the Netherlands every year, producing a complete, high-quality and uniformly consistent national 3D dataset – brings the raw material. Esri Nederland brings the platform: ArcGIS technology that turns that data into something organizations can act on. Together, they shorten the path from spatial data to informed decision-making, particularly in projects with significant spatial impact.

Manhole covers and traffic signs

Kavel 10’s high-resolution cameras capture detail down to three centimetres, making even small objects such as manhole covers and traffic signs clearly visible. That level of precision makes the data genuinely useful for comparing existing conditions against design or planning scenarios.

In other words, the new dataset is built for the decisions that matter. It targets some of the most pressing challenges facing urban planners, engineers and policymakers today: the energy transition, climate adaptation and the redesign of public space.

A designer can use the data to identify fine elements such as cables, pipes or fencing within their spatial context. A policymaker can rapidly assess the implications of an intervention – whether a flood defence upgrade or a public space redesign – on the surrounding environment. Across the board, the bundle supports the full workflow: planning, designing, substantiating choices, communicating with stakeholders and monitoring outcomes over time.

Lowering the barrier to data access

By handling both data acquisition and processing, Esri and Kavel 10 eliminate the technical burden on end users, giving organizations immediate access to data they can apply in practice. The two partners describe it as a new standard for spatial insight and analytical accuracy.

“The razor-sharp 3D visualizations are easier and faster to process, and provide an even sharper and more complete picture of areas and specific locations across the Netherlands. This is an important step in the development of 3D data in the Netherlands,” said Thomas Lier, product manager at Esri Nederland. “By making this high-quality data accessible, we lower the barrier for organizations to work with it.”

Gaussian splatting

Gaussian splatting, one of the most talked-about techniques in geospatial right now, sits at the heart of this new data product. Unlike traditional mesh-based rendering, Gaussian splatting produces strikingly realistic visualizations with significantly greater efficiency. For organizations that need their spatial data to be both visually compelling and technically rigorous, that combination is hard to ignore. Integrated with the analytical capabilities of ArcGIS, it gives teams a powerful way to explain, test and substantiate designs and plans in a format that stakeholders can actually engage with. The benefits extend across digital twins, 3D modelling, and visualization for infrastructure and energy transition projects, among others.

Per project or per area

The bundle is available now and can be accessed on a per-project or per-area basis. Data is delivered through Esri Nederland’s own infrastructure, meaning organizations need no additional storage or server capacity of their own. The product will continue to evolve, with Esri Nederland committed to developing the dataset further based on real-world experience and emerging market needs.