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FSXA ASTER DEM Policy

Shaun

Shaun

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unitedkingdom
I'd like to generate a terrain .bgl using the ASTER DEM from the USGS but I can't really understand the polices. It'll be part of a commercial FSX/P3D Release.

Here Dick states he think it's usable for this purpose.

http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/new-30m-gdem.15992/

But upon downloading, one must agree to a T&C which includes another clause not covered:

"Users will not use the GDEM data for purposes of
monetary reward by means of the sale, resale, loan
transfer, hire or other form of commercial
exploitation;"

Does this preclude using it in FSX as a .bgl?

To confuse matters more ,

https://lpdaac.usgs.gov/products/aster_policies

States that:

The general principle is one of reversibility: If someone can recover the original x-y-z values from the new product, then that new product can NOT be re-distributed. This can also be defined as lossless recovery.

AND:

What are some examples of derived products that are re-distributable?
  1. Reprojection that involved re-sampling, including nearest neighbor in cases where the reprojection involves more than a simple translation of an integer number of GDEM pixels
  2. Creating a slope map
  3. 3-D perspective visualizations
But it doesn't mention the monetary reward thing.

Can anyone help clarify this?
 
You'll need to be your own judge in this, but my opinion is that you cannot recover the original XYZ data from a resampled mesh BGL. My opinion is the policy is that they do not want you to redistribute the actual GDEMs for profit. Derived, unrecoverable products would not be a problem, in my opinion. If you are unsure, then you need to consult a lawyer, rather than seek opinions on the internet.

Opinions are like... we all have one.

Dick
 
Much of the ASTER GDEM 2 is marginal and I wouldn't try to use it for commercial purposes. Other may, but that makes my world a better place! :cool:

There's other source out there. If you'd like to give up the area, maybe I can point you in the right direction?
 
I pinned a reference to the Global 1 arc second SRTM availability above in the forum. It might be more accurate than the GDEM.

Dick
 
NoNewMessages said:
Much of the ASTER GDEM 2 is marginal and I wouldn't try to use it for commercial purposes. Other may, but that makes my world a better place! :cool:

There's other source out there. If you'd like to give up the area, maybe I can point you in the right direction?
Click to expand...

Sure let me know man.

rhumbaflappy said:
I pinned a reference to the Global 1 arc second SRTM availability above in the forum. It might be more accurate than the GDEM.

Dick
Click to expand...

Thanks Dick, I'll check that out too.
 
Hey, I downloaded the 1 ArcSec SRTM and resampled it. But the bgl doesn't change the FSX mesh in the slightest. Doing the same thing to the Aseter DEM makes a hell of a difference.
 
Different doesn't always mean better. The Aces may have used the 1 arc second data when making FSX. Some areas of the US have finer resolution mesh available, so that might help you. ASTER data will probably show the tops of buildings and trees, so might not show the actual ground elevation (and SRTM may show the same). Some finer DEMs will show freeways.

You can get finer US resolution from the National Map:

http://viewer.nationalmap.gov/viewer/

(1/3 arc second)

Dick
 
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I looked on TNM Viewer, and see 1/3 arc sec data, but it's "IMG" format, not getiff. I don't know how to resample this.
 
You show a UK flag, but might you have gotten your education in the U.S. skool system? :mischievo

I'm being semi-serious and semi-wiseacre, because it took 10 seconds to ask Google img to geotiff which yielded an answer.

Because I'm semi-industrious, it took a few moments for me to find 1 meter mesh source and 1/2 foot photo source for Block Island. And because I care about these things, I knew Block Island is in Rhode Island, U.S. of A. and that the airport code is KBID.

But I'm old and grumpy and undoubtedly expect far too much in that people might recognize when someone is trying to assist them and thus, might make more than the bare minimum of effort to accommodate them.

I'm almost finished downloading the photo source. Shall I drive over and install it onto your computer, My Lord?:p
 
Hey,

I did google something along the lines of "how to convert an img to geotiff DEM", but didn't see anything worthwhile in the results.

Is the 1M mesh from the National Map viewer? I've got 1/3 arcsec as an IMG and see I can warp it into a geotiff from searching "IMG to Geotiff".

If you would like to upload the mesh to your google drive or whatever and I could download it.

I've got the photoscenery thanks!

**Edit

I've warped the IMG to a geotiff, so it should be all good now thanks.

I have to isolate the area I need only,

But I believe this is accomplished by having


[Destination]
DestDir = "Output"
DestBaseFileName = "File"
NorthLat = xx.00
WestLon = -xx.0
SouthLat = xx.0
EastLon = -xx.0
 
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Someone clearly hasn't experienced an English state School...

This 1m mesh looks much better than the ASTER one... It's 1/3 arc sec, I think that's 1m.

Thanks for all of the help guys! :wave:


10550010_474803372672693_1346103755641259326_o.jpg
 
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Readers have previously been cautioned regarding use of ASTER GDEM as source data since that data set still has significant accuracy issues which has yet to be "cleaned up". :alert:

* "Most" ASTER GDEM data sets are released as 'minimally-cleaned' 45 Meter resolution

* "Some" ASTER GDEM data sets are released as 'partially-cleaned' 30 Meter resolution


FYI: FS Developers with a goal of precision terrain rendering have been advised to consider other options as elevation data sets evolve:

http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/global-1-arc-second-srtm.432642/

http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/gis-data-sources.213907/


PS: :teacher:

3 Arc Second is 90 (aka in FS="76.8") Meters between elevation data points on the ground (SRTM horizontal resolution; ~LOD-9)

1 Arc Second is 30 (aka in FS="38.4") Meters between elevation data points (higher grid density than SRTM horizontal resolution; ~LOD-10)

1/3 Arc Second is 10 (aka in FS="9.6") Meters between elevation data points; ~LOD-12

1/9 Arc Second is ~3.3 (aka in FS="4.8") Meters between elevation data points; ~LOD-13

GaryGB
 
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"It's 1/3 arc sec, I think that's 1m."

In the words of that great British er... gentleman, Snave, it's not what you think, it's what you know. 1/3 is 10m source, as Gary notes above. 1/9 is 3~ and will run through at 2.38m with Resample. So the 1m goes everything a little better. The compiled file is 2.81mb, using GACP. <- a nue term I's made up, coortesy of the Kalifernonia skool system.

The 6" or for the metrically-induced peoples of the work, 15cm photo runs a little under 9gb to download. And that's just for little, itty, bitty Block Island. I'll get it made up just to see how the mesh/photo look, while using the Trike so as to not induce a single, solitary, all by it's lonesome trace of blurriness.

P.S. If your mesh doesn't create a plateau of one end of the runway, something is wrong. You can see in the pic that the airport does sit above the surrounding area.
 

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I was a power of 10 out. Looks great still. I've already got the 1/9 arc and will resample it when I get home from work later.

Thanks for your help and sarcasm. :)

I'm not using ASTER now btw Gary.
 
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Hi Shaun:

Not wishing to appear "unseemly" by discouraging efforts to showcase new products developed and released for the 'Sim' market seemingly at such a rate as may not seem to allow sufficient time for comprehensive study of available information on some aspects of FS terrain development with data from ex: "USGS Seamless Server" prior to pubic posting, I'm compelled to inquire: ...will you be fixing the "seam" seen in these screenies ? :scratchch

http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/block-island.433502/

10633802_474803359339361_4323160135390911120_o.jpg

1899728_474803366006027_799746577927250_o.jpg


GaryGB
 
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