Hartley Wintney, July 15th 2008 - Getmapping announces the availability of Cities Revealed LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) data to add to its significant portfolio of height data of England, Wales and Scotland. The new LiDAR data covers the main centres of population, including Greater London, Birmingham, Greater Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle, Glasgow and Edinburgh and is available online from Getmapping.com.

LIDAR is a method of terrain mapping, which uses a laser to measure the distance between the sensor, normally airborne, and the ground surface. The resulting highly accurate terrain map is suitable for assessing flood risk, engineering projects and land and property development. LiDAR is also suitable for 3D visualisation and modelling.

Considered to be the most accurate source of terrain data LiDAR delivers greater vertical precision than most other methods of data acquisition. The LiDAR available from Getmapping.com is collected at 1m or 2m intervals depending on the area of coverage and has a vertical accuracy of plus or minus 15 cm.

While LiDAR is the most accurate height data available it is not economical for wide area coverage. Where less accuracy is required and no LiDAR data is available Getmapping recommends Intermap’s NEXTMap Britain height data, which covers the whole of Great Britain and is also available online.

 “The addition of Cities Revealed LiDAR means that we now have a comprehensive collection of height and elevation data on Getmapping.com to suit almost any requirement. We also offer a service to derive highly accurate height data from our own stereo aerial photography and are excited by the prospects of making this more widely available in the near future,” said Tristram Cary, Managing Director of Getmapping.