DIGITAL ELEVATION MODELS
Riskscape’s Digital Terrain Models (DTMs) and Digital Surface Models (DSMs) deliver ultra-high-resolution elevation data that reveal exactly how the land rises and falls beneath your feet. Whether you need the bare-earth topography for flood modelling or the full surface detail that includes buildings and vegetation, our models give you property-level accuracy to make confident decisions about risk, planning, and resilience across South Africa.
A NATIONAL STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP
GeoSpace International, Hexagon, and Riskscape have joined forces to deliver the first homogeneous, high-resolution elevation dataset for all of South Africa. By combining world-class aerial data acquisition, massive cloud-based processing power, and advanced machine learning, this partnership has transformed 1.2 million km^2m of imagery into a vital national asset.
GeoSpaceInternational leveraged the Leica DMC III airborne sensor to capture high-quality, 25 cm resolution imagery across the entire country.
Hexagon utilized the HxMap workflow and global Content Program infrastructure to process massive volumes of data, generating precise 1-meter Digital Surface Models (DSMs).
Riskscape applied proprietary machine-learning algorithms and automated classification to extract vegetation layers, building footprints, and water bodies to derive accurate 2-meter and 5-meter Digital Terrain Models (DTMs).
INDUSTRIES WE EMPOWER
Insurance & Banking
Precision flood hazard modelling.
Telecomm
5G network planning & signal propagation.
Infrastructure
Digital construction & urban development.
Environment
Hydrological analysis & climate resilience.
DIGITAL TERRAIN MODELLING
Generating high-precision terrain and surface models involves transforming raw data into actionable intelligence.
DATA ACQUISITION
Photogrammetry vs LiDAR
Photogrammetry
It uses high-resolution imagery captured from different angles. Sophisticated software identifies common points in these photos to calculate 3D coordinates, creating dense point clouds. It is highly cost-effective and provides rich colour information.
LiDAR
It uses laser pulses to measure distances. Because lasers can penetrate small gaps in vegetation, LiDAR is superior for mapping the "bare earth" beneath dense tree canopies. However, this method is extremely expensive.
DTM vs DSM
Once we have a point cloud, we classify the data to create two distinct models
SEE THE DIFFERENCE
DIGITAL SURFACE MODEL
DIGITAL TERRAIN MODEL
This hillshade example in Cape Town creates a 3D representation of the ground by simulating light shining from a particular angle, similar to the sun casting shadows across a landscape. This creates contrast between light and shadow, allowing us to see variations in elevation more clearly.
WHAT WE USE PHOTOGRAMMETRY FOR
HILLSHADE
Hillshading applies a simulated sun angle to flat elevation data to create realistic 3D shadows, making landscapes immediately intuitive to read. On a bare-earth model (DTM), it reveals natural terrain features like flood paths; on a surface model (DSM), it highlights buildings and trees for precise asset risk assessments.
HILLSHADE DTM
SATELLITE IMAGE ON DSM
HILLSHADE DSM
DSM HILLSHADE
3D BUILDING FOOTPRINTS
3D BUILDING FOOTPRINTS ON SATELLITE
3D BUILDING FOOTPRINTS
While a DSM gives you the height above sea level of a building, a 3D building footprint provides the precise vector outline, height above ground and volume of that structure. We use our DSM and DTM to detect height changes, then isolate and extract the building footprints. This allows for precise calculation of roof area, shadows cast by buildings, building height above ground and total building volume.
WHY 3D BUILDING FOOTPRINTS MATTER
3D BUILDINGS
Using proprietary machine learning, we isolate structures from natural terrain. This delivers high-fidelity building footprints (including the height) and precise geometry required for 5G signal modelling and disaster risk assessment. We see how physical structures interact with their surroundings to ensure accurate safety interventions.
VEGETATION
By using photogrammetry, which is essentially taking thousands of overlapping photos to build a 3D map, we can strip away the "rough" vegetation canopy to see the ground, while still keeping a record of how tall that vegetation is. This gives us the best of both worlds, we know exactly where the ground dips for water flow, and we know exactly where the obstacles are for various industries where vegetation plays a significant role in a company’s service/product.
CONTOURS AND LINE OF SIGHT
CONTOURS
Contour lines connect points of equal elevation. They turn a complex surface model into a readable map for engineers and planners. Contours can be used in civil engineering for site levelling, agriculture for irrigation planning, and construction for site drainage design.
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SATELLITE IMAGE
CONTOURS
Line of Sight
A Line of site is a geometric analysis that determines if one point can "see" another without obstruction. This has various use cases in industries such as telecommunications (planning 5G network placement); security/defence (monitoring surveillance blind spots); real estate (evaluating unobstructed views for property valuation).
DSM - Showing Surface Obstructions
DTM - Showing Terrain Obstructions
PRICING
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