Airborne imagery and light detecting and ranging, or LiDAR, data collected under an Air Force enterprise installations contract began in 2016 continues to build and fortify the digital foundation for installations of the future, including hurricane stricken Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida.
High fidelity and accuracy of these data sources are critical elements for future deployment of autonomous vehicles on installations and for effective placement of sensors powering smart facilities of tomorrow.
Under the enterprise contract, data is collected at each Air Force installation every three years, and by exception based on mission requirements. Centralized collection allows the Air Force to gather data once and use it endlessly for a wide variety of missions, improving context supporting data-driven basing, support and battle-space decisions and investments.
This enterprise approach has resulted in a 40% cost savings over de-centralized execution previously conducted by installations, while simultaneously expanding access to the information by cross-functional and multi-domain users.
Today, following in the footsteps of civil engineer innovators and early adopters, this same data helps build infrastructure and environment management, force protection and flight safety decision making across the enterprise.
Current applications include:
• Bridge and road condition assessments
• Disaster preparedness, response and recovery
• Erosion control
• Endangered plants restoration
• Flood predictive modeling and analysis
• Imaginary surfaces - 3D modeling aircraft approach and departure obstructions
• Irrigation system assessment
• Line of site analysis supporting force protection, communications and flight safety
• Roof condition assessments
• Solar suitability analysis
• Wildland fire management
Timely, relevant, compelling data
For example, a few days following Hurricane Michael striking Tyndall AFB, the Air Force Civil Engineer Center's digital response included the collection of airborne imagery to support initial facility damage assessments conducted remotely between structural engineers and geospatial analysts. A six-month LiDAR collection, followed by annual imagery and LiDAR collection, continues to be used extensively by civil engineers and private industry partners for base reconstruction and installation of the future pursuits.
"Making sure this data is visible, accessible, understandable, linked and trusted has resulted in significant cost avoidance by collecting it once for use by many, saving time and effort conducting surveys needed to perform engineering and design tasks," said Lt. Col. Ruben Choi, AFCEC's Planning and Integration Requirements Identification Branch chief.
Those needing Tyndall AFB data can access it via the AFGIMS Imagery & LiDAR Widget on Common Access Card and government network systems or by requesting it via
