GIS, maps and GeoAI
City and site models
Semantic 3D models of buildings, terrain and infrastructure at defined levels of detail.
We design and integrate.
OGC CityGML 3.0 Conceptual Model
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Earth observation & GeoAI/
Site twinsThe site, measured in 3D, to scale.
Site twins, inside Earth observation & GeoAI: city and site models, 3D Tiles and scene layers, BIM and asset information, photogrammetry and reality capture and more. Every item is traced to its specification, from OGC CityGML 3.0 Conceptual Model to OGC 3D Tiles 1.1 (Community Standard), and runs on the open Observatory Protocol.
Plan with usArchitectureThe protocol- Technologies
- 9
- At the frontier
- 3
- Protocol functions
- 3 of 8
- Industries served
- 16
Real elevation · Bow Valley, Alberta · from the Earth explainers
01What it is
3D, BIM and digital twins.
The reference frames, formats, services, analysis methods, machine learning and 3D models that turn observations into located, queryable and decision-ready geographic information. Every platform, sensor, processing level and ground-segment step that turns remote measurements of the Earth into calibrated, analysis-ready evidence for a site, a region or a network. Each technology below carries what it is, what we do with it, and the standard it is drawn against.
GIS, maps and GeoAI
3D Tiles and scene layers
Streaming of massive meshes, point clouds and models into web and desktop viewers.
We design, integrate and operate.
OGC 3D Tiles 1.1 (Community Standard) · OGC Indexed 3D Scene Layer (I3S) Community Standard
GIS, maps and GeoAI
BIM and asset information
Building and infrastructure models and information management through design, build and operation.
We design and integrate.
ISO 16739-1 (IFC) · ISO 19650-1 (information management using BIM)
GIS, maps and GeoAI
Photogrammetry and reality capture
Meshes, orthomosaics and point clouds reconstructed from drone and ground imagery.
We design, integrate, deploy and operate.
ASPRS Positional Accuracy Standards for Digital Geospatial Data (Edition 2)
GIS, maps and GeoAI
Indoor and underground models
Indoor spaces and subsurface utilities for shelters, plant rooms and tunnels.
We integrate.
OGC IndoorGML · OGC Model for Underground Data Definition and Integration (MUDDI)
GIS, maps and GeoAI
Digital twin frameworks
Linking a model to its physical counterpart with defined fidelity, update rate and purpose.
We design, integrate and operate.
ISO/IEC 30173:2023 · ISO 23247-1 (digital twin framework for manufacturing)
Frontier · GIS, maps and GeoAI
Sensor-fused live twins
Twins updated continuously from sensors, cameras and EO, with provenance on every change.
We design, integrate and operate.
OGC SensorThings API 1.1 · OGC API – Connected Systems
Frontier · GIS, maps and GeoAI
Geospatial augmented reality
Overlaying the twin on the real site for crews through located and oriented devices.
We design and integrate.
OGC GeoPose 1.0
Frontier · Remote sensing and Earth observation
Onboard AI and in-orbit processing
Detecting events and compressing to products in orbit so only what matters is downlinked.
We integrate.
CEOS ARD (as output target)
02Architecture
Where it sits, and what it speaks.
Site twins draws on 2 domains and 16 layers of the spectrum; the highlighted layers carry this area. It speaks 3 of the protocol’s 8 core functions.
Platforms and orbits
8
Optical, spectral and thermal sensors
8
Radar, lidar and microwave sensors
10
Processing levels and analysis-ready data
9
Calibration and validation
8
Tasking, ground segment and access
9
Data cubes, analysis and archives
7
Frontier and research
8
Reference systems and geodesy
7
Vector, raster and array formats
10
Tiling, maps and visual services
7
APIs, catalogues and discrete global grids
8
Spatial analysis and siting
10
GeoAI
10
3D, BIM and digital twins
8
Metadata, quality and publication
5
01JoinIdentity, attestation quote, signed policy.
02AdmitAdmitted for a stated scope, nothing wider.
03DescribeWhat, where, how and by whom, with calibration.
04TimeOne clock across the grid, with its error bound.
05ObserveEvery value with quality and provenance.
06QualifyTested against the specification, state on record.
07FederateSigned exchange across grids and trust domains.
08OrchestrateSoftware and configuration by signed plan.
03On the grid
The ground, measured before it is modelled.
Real elevation, line of sight, an orbit swath and a GeoAI pass, each an interactive explainer on open terrain data with its source shown.
Satellite pass
One orbit, one swath, line by line.GeoAI
A detection method on real slopes, simulated outputs.Relief
Terrarium-encoded DEM, contours by marching squares.Layer stack
Every layer registered to one grid.04In the field
Where this runs, sector by sector.
6 deployment scenarios from the sector research that rely on site twins.
Development and humanitarianDisplacement-site connectivity and sensing
Point-to-multipoint wireless, satellite backhaul, solar and water-point sensors with protection safeguards.Environment and climateMethane fenceline and site-level continuous monitoring
Regulatory cadences in the EU and reporting levels in voluntary frameworks.Government and public safetyDeployable communications and sensing for incident command
A cell on wheels with satellite backhaul, mesh telemetry and environment nodes at the incident base.Development and humanitarianSchool connectivity with a school observatory
Satellite or fixed wireless, school Wi-Fi, an open connectivity probe and an optional station.ScientificOcean and coastal low-cost buoy arrays
Satellite-backhauled wave buoys accepted in a national programme trial.TransportHighway corridor mobile coverage for safety
Small cells and satellite backhaul along unserved roads.05Open and enterprise
Open by default. Enterprise by contract.
The open counterpart lives on the main site for anyone to read and run. The enterprise service is designed, deployed and operated with you, under contract.
Open, on the main site
- Observatories atlas
- World grid
- Map sources with licences
Enterprise, on this site
- Capture campaigns
- Site twins
06The rest of the line
Earth observation & GeoAI, area by area.
Earth observation & GeoAIGround segment
Downlink and process at the edge.Earth observation & GeoAIDrones and imagery
Campaigns planned to the ground sample distance.Earth observation & GeoAIGeoAI
Models trained and checked against field truth.Bring us the site.
Survey, design, deployment and operation for site twins. The form names who receives your details.
Talk to uscontact@observatory.global