Slides for the GeoBerlin Meetup about Elevation API

1. GeoBerlin
Meetup
December 2020

2. What is Elevation API ?
• A C#/.Net OpenSource API for Digital Elevation Model
(DEM) processing
• Fills a gap where no existing C# API could be found on
GitHub
• Started from passion and my enthusiasm to explore
the field
• Full story here :
https://sketchfab.com/blogs/community/api-
spotlight-elevation-api
• Adheres to glTF3D standards : can output 3D textured
model in glTF binary format

3. Where is it used ?
• Powering https://elevationapi.com, a playground site
that allows live 3D terrain model generation from
DEM data
• Sketchfab gallery of models :
https://sketchfab.com/xfischer/collections/elevationa
pi-community
• Multimapas : elevation profiles
(http://javier.jimenezshaw.com/mapas/mapas.html)
• Used by The Mycenaean Atlas Project for viewshed and 3D
models : https://helladic.info
• Used by speleologists for cave modeling and analysis

4. How does it work ?
• Generates standardized metadata for each DEM file (bounding box, pixel size, …)
• Downloads automatically required files from OpenTopography / NASA
• Loads all metadata into RAM for fast indexing
• Retrieves tiles from AOI, location, Gpx file, …
• Produces height map, elevation calculations
• Can download OSM data via Overpass API and compute elevations / extrude buildings
• Download tiled imagery from well known providers
• Exports data as 3D models or anything else

5. Comparison : Pripyat, Ukraine

6. Comparison : Brazil

7. Datasources
• Supported formats :
• Input: GeoTIFF, netCDF, ASC, HGT, GPX, GeoJSON
• Output: STL, glTF, Image
• DEM data sources
• OpenTopography (https://opentopography.org/) : global datasets
• NASA Earth Data : (https://lpdaac.usgs.gov/products/nasadem_hgtv001/)
• Imagery data sources :
• MapBox
• ThunderForest
• MapTiler
• Data
• OpenStreetMap and contributors

8. Contact
• Mail : xavier@elevationapi.com
• Twitter : https://twitter.com/ElevationApi
• Sketchfab : https://sketchfab.com/xfischer