Topographic Mapping & Digital Terrain Modeling
What’s your application …1/4 foot contours for highway reconstruction, 1’ contours for sewer expansion or a Digital Terrain Model (DTM) for watershed analysis?

Whatever your application, Axis GeoSpatial can apply the appropriate technology to provide you with the most accurate elevation data. For contour data, through our eyes we will collect 3D breakline and masspoint data in our softcopy stereo workstations to accurately portray the terrain. Once the DTM has been collected, we then can generate contours at the required interval to provide you the detail necessary for your application.

For applications requiring Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) of larger areas, Team Axis GeoSpatial can fly, produce and post process DEMs through the use of LIDAR technology. Various processes can be performed on the raw LIDAR data such as vegetation & structure removal or breakline supplement in a stereo environment …whatever your requirement, Team Axis GeoSpatial understands.

Dispelling the Myth…
If you are a potential purchaser of LIDAR services or data, please do your research. Seek out unbiased studies and papers on LIDAR data from unbiased sources. LIDAR technology is in it’s infancy and many “LIDAR Companies” out there are still trying to figure it out. Their unqualified salespeople will tell you whatever to make a sale as they are being pressured to keep their very expensive equipment utilized. The final results are what you should be concerned with.

Understand that LIDAR data, as all technology, has its limitations. LIDAR technology is being developed and perfected every day and the relative accuracy and point density is increasing, but RMS accuracy does not translate into 1 & 2 foot contours. If you need contours which accurately portray the terrain, understand the LIDAR data must be put through certain processes to allow accurate contour generation. Accurate contours can only be produced from a DTM, not a DEM and there is a significant difference. Just because the RMSE of a particular LIDAR DEM is around 15cm does not mean it will produce reliable and accurate 1’ Contours for certain applications. If you’ve been hearing LIDAR, you’ve probably already heard such claims by novices in the industry. Anyone with any TIN software can generate any contour interval from any DTM or DEM …don’t choose just ‘Anyone’ to provide you data produced from this very complex technology.