LIDAR Composite DSM 2017: 25cm Resolution Digital Surface Model of England

Environment Agency's LIDAR Composite DSM 2017 is a raster elevation model covering areas of England at 25cm spatial resolution. The dataset is derived from an archive of airborne LIDAR surveys, merged and re-sampled to provide the best possible coverage, with newer, higher-resolution data used where available. Data is presented in metres, referenced to Ordinance Survey Newlyn, with a stated vertical accuracy of +/-15cm RMSE.

Use Cases

• Modeling 3D urban environments based on building and vegetation heights included in the DSM.
• Analyzing terrain and surface features for flood risk assessment based on high-resolution elevation data.
• Creating base maps for autonomous vehicle navigation simulations based on detailed surface models.
• Monitoring changes in land cover and infrastructure over time by comparing with updated annual composites.

Strengths

• High spatial resolution of 25 centimeters.
• Vertical accuracy of +/-15cm RMSE.
• Produced by the authoritative Environment Agency and updated annually with the latest surveys.

Limitations

• Description metadata is limited; actual data quality requires manual inspection after download.
• Row count and file size are unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• The dataset is noted as no longer available on the original platform, requiring users to find a newer version.

Provenance

Source

Environment Agency, United Kingdom.

Collection Method

Airborne Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) surveys, with data merged and re-sampled from a time-stamped archive.

Time Range

2017 (composite version).

Freshness

Updated on an annual basis; the specific 2017 version is superseded.

Geography

Areas of England.