3D Digital Terrain Flythrough Scenes
A broadband connection and the QuickTime player is recommended to view this content.
If 3D terrain modeling and visualization applications require highly detailed information about terrain features and terrain slopes for critical project decisions, an accurate digital surface model (DSM), digital terrain model (DTM), or digital elevation model (DEM) must be available. If no suitable terrain model is available for the area of interest, such a model can be provided by some of the following satellite and airborne methods:
- Stereo satellite image data
- Radar
- LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging)
- IFSAR (Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar)
For a detailed explanation of DSM, DTM, and DEM geospatial products, please visit our introduction to digital elevation models.
Trinidad - 3D Flythrough Movie for Pipeline Corridor
The sample 3D Terrain Visualization scene provided is a combination of Digital Aerial Photography with a pixel resolution of 0.25m and 5m LiDAR DSM.
- Windows Movie 3D Terrain Visualization (6.29 MB)
Africa - Virunga National Parks for Environmental Monitoring and Habitat Mapping
Virunga National Parks, contains within 790,000 hectares the greatest diversity of habitats of any park in Africa, from steppes, savannas and lava plains, swamps, lowland and forests to volcanoes. Thousands of hippopotamuses and elephants live in the park's rivers and its mountains are a critical area for the survival of the mountain and lowland gorillas.
Broadband connection and QuickTime player required - Size: 18 MB
1m Stereo IKONOS Satellite Image Data and 90m SRTM DEM
(Copyright © DigitalGlobe and Processed by Satellite Imaging Corporation)
Turkey - Mount Ararat Anomaly for Archaeology and Research
Mount Ararat (16,940 feet, or 5,165 meters) is the largest volcano in Turkey. Although not currently active, its most recent eruption has probably been within the last 10,000 years. It is located in extreme northeastern Turkey, near the borders with Iran and Armenia. A number of claims by different explorers said to have found remnants of Noah's Ark on Mt. Ararat have led to continuing expeditions to the mountain, many of which have focused their searches on the gorge area.
Broadband connection and QuickTime player required - Size: 9 MB
1m Stereo IKONOS Satellite Image Map and 5m DEM
(Copyright © DigitalGlobe and Processed by Satellite Imaging Corporation)
North Korea - Nuclear Facilities at Yongbyon for Defense
Satellite Imaging Corporation, in cooperation with GeoEye, created a 3D Terrain Visualization movie of the Yongbyon nuclear site in North Korea. The creation of the 3D Flythrough movie was made possible with the use of stereo IKONOS satellite image data and a 2m DEM extracted from the image data.
"This new 3D terrain model can provide organization and agencies with a bird's eye view of the nuclear site to observe and monitor any significant activities and landcover changes that may occur since the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) put a freeze on the site."
Broadband connection and QuickTime player required - Size: 22 MB
1m Stereo IKONOS Satellite Map Data and 2m DSM
(Copyright © DigitalGlobe and Processed by Satellite Imaging Corporation)
To request additional information for 3D Terrain Modeling and Visualization or DSM's, DTM's or DEM's please complete the Contact Form and we will get back with you as soon as possible.

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