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Digital Terrain Model (DTM)

Data Modeling

A Digital Terrain Model (DTM) is a geospatial product that provides a detailed, three-dimensional representation of Earth's terrain, stripped of all natural and man-made features such as vegetation and buildings. By focusing solely on the bare surface, DTMs are indispensable for applications requiring precise elevation data, including hydrological modeling, urban planning, and infrastructure development.

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How DTMs are created

DTMs are typically derived from remote sensing technologies or field surveys. Common methods include:

  • LiDAR: LiDAR sensors emit laser pulses to measure the distance to Earth's surface, generating high-resolution elevation data.
  • Photogrammetry: By analyzing overlapping aerial or satellite images, photogrammetry calculates elevation values to construct DTMs.
  • Satellite radar: Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) collects elevation data over large areas, suitable for creating regional-scale DTMs.
  • Manual surveying: Traditional ground surveys provide precise elevation points, though limited in coverage compared to remote sensing.

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Characteristics

Key attributes of DTMs include:

  • Bare-earth representation: DTMs exclude features like trees, buildings, and other surface obstructions to focus solely on the terrain.
  • Resolution: The resolution of a DTM determines the level of detail, with higher resolutions capturing finer terrain features.
  • Vertical accuracy: DTMs are highly accurate in representing elevation, making them reliable for critical applications like flood modeling.

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Applications

DTMs are invaluable across various disciplines, supporting critical decision-making and analysis:

  • Hydrology and flood modeling: DTMs help model water flow, predict flood zones, and identify drainage patterns, crucial for water resource management and disaster preparedness.
  • Land use and urban planning: Planners use DTMs to assess slope stability, determine suitable sites for development, and design transportation networks.
  • Infrastructure design: Engineers rely on DTMs for road alignment, bridge placement, and other infrastructure projects, ensuring efficient and cost-effective designs.
  • Environmental management: DTMs aid in monitoring erosion, analyzing soil suitability, and managing natural habitats.
  • Telecommunications: DTMs support the planning of communication towers by identifying line-of-sight paths and optimal locations for signal coverage.

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Advantages

DTMs offer numerous benefits for geospatial analysis and planning:

  • Accuracy and detail: DTMs provide precise elevation data, enabling reliable analyses for critical projects.
  • Wide applicability: From local-scale studies to regional planning, DTMs are versatile tools for various industries.
  • GIS integration: DTMs seamlessly integrate with GIS platforms, supporting advanced spatial analysis and visualization.
  • Cost efficiency: With the advent of modern remote sensing technologies, generating DTMs has become faster and more affordable.

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Challenges

Despite their utility, DTMs face certain challenges:

  • Data gaps: In areas with dense vegetation or extreme terrain, data acquisition can be challenging, leading to gaps or inaccuracies.
  • Processing requirements: High-resolution DTMs generate large datasets that require significant computational resources for processing and analysis.
  • Temporal limitations: DTMs represent static terrain conditions and may not account for dynamic changes such as erosion or construction.

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Emerging trends

Advancements in technology are shaping the future of DTMs:

  • Higher resolutions: Advances in LiDAR and photogrammetry are enabling the creation of ultra-high-resolution DTMs for detailed analyses.
  • Real-time DTMs: Integration with real-time data streams, such as drones and IoT sensors, is making dynamic terrain modeling possible.
  • 3D/4D terrain models: DTMs are increasingly being combined with time-series data, creating 4D models that track terrain changes over time.
  • Artificial Intelligence (AI) integration: AI is being used to automate the processing of raw elevation data, reducing errors and speeding up DTM generation.

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DTM is a foundational tool in geospatial analysis, providing a precise representation of Earth's bare surface. Its applications span a wide range of fields, from hydrology to urban planning, making it essential for informed decision-making. As technologies like LiDAR and AI continue to evolve, DTMs will become even more detailed and accessible, enhancing their role in shaping sustainable and efficient solutions for the future.

Related Terms

Digital Elevation Model (DEM)
GIS
ArcGIS
QGIS

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Copyright © 2025 mapular
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PRIVACY POLICY

Status: November 2023
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With the following privacy policy, we would like to inform you about how we process your personaldata in accordance with the European Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This privacy policy appliesto all processing of personal data carried out by us, both in the context of the provision of our servicesand in particular on our websites (hereinafter collectively referred to as "online offer").

1. Controller

Controller in the sense of the GDPR is

Mapular UG (haftungsbeschränkt)
c/o TOG The Office Group (Germany) GmbH
Kronenstraße 63
10117 Berlin
Germany

Phone: +49 30 20994953
E-mail: info@mapular.com

2. Data Protection Officer

You can reach our data protection officers as follows:

secjur GmbH
Steinhöft 9
20459 Hamburg
Germany

Phone: +49 40 228 599 520
Email: dsb@secjur.com

You can contact our data protection officer directly at any time with all questions andsuggestions regarding data protection and the exercise of your rights.

3. Definition

This privacy policy is based on the terminology of the GDPR. For your convenience, we wouldlike to explain some important terms in this context in more detail:
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  • Personal Data means any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person (‘data subject’); an identifiable natural person is one who can be identified,directly or indirectly, in particular by reference to an identifier such as a name, anidentification number, location data, an online identifier or to one or more factors specific to the physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural or socialidentity of that natural person.
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  • Data subject is any identified or identifiable natural person whose personal data areprocessed by the controller.
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  • Processing: means any operation or set of operations which is performed on personaldata or on sets of personal data, whether or not by automated means, such ascollection, recording, organization, structuring, storage, adaptation or alteration,retrieval, consultation, use, disclosure by transmission, dissemination or otherwisemaking available, alignment or combination, restriction, erasure or destruction.
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  • Recipient means a natural or legal person, public authority, agency or another body,to which the personal data are disclosed, whether a third party or not. However, publicauthorities which may receive personal data in the framework of a particular inquiry inaccordance with Union or Member State law shall not be regarded as recipients; theprocessing of those data by those public authorities shall be in compliance with theapplicable data protection rules according to the purposes of the processing.
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  • Third Party means a natural or legal person, public authority, agency or body otherthan the data subject, controller, processor and persons who, under the direct authorityof the controller or processor, are authorized to process personal data.
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4. Data for the provision of the website and the creation of the log files

If you use this website for purely informational purposes without otherwise transmitting data tous (e.g., by registering or using the contact form), we collect via server log files technicallynecessary data that are automatically transmitted to our server, including:
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  • Date and time of access 
  • IP address
  • Host name of the accessing computer 
  • Website from which the website was accessed; websites accessed via the website
  • Visited page on our website; Amount of data transferred 
  • Information about the browser type and version used 
  • Operating system 
  • Access status (e.g., whether the web page could be accessed without problems or whether you received an error message) 
  • Use of website functions 
  • Entered search terms 
  • Access frequency of the individual web page 
  • Data volume transferred 
  • Other websites that you visit starting from this website, either by clicking on a link on this website or by directly entering the domain in the input bar in the same window of your browser
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The temporary storage of data is necessary for the course of a website visit in order to display our website to you. This processing is technically necessary to ensure the functionality of the website and the security of the information technology systems. The legal basis of the processing is thus Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f GDPR, in order to guarantee the provision, security and stability of our website.The data is deleted as soon as it is no longer required to achieve the purpose for which it was collected. In the case of the provision of the website, this is the case when the respective session has ended. The log files are stored up to 24 hours directly and exclusively accessible to administrators. After that, they are only indirectly available via the reconstruction of backup tapes and are finally deleted after four weeks.This website is hosted via the Content Delivery Network (CDN) of Webflow. The provider is Webflow, Inc, 398 11th Street, 2nd Floor, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA (Webflow). Webflow is a tool for creating and hosting websites. A content delivery network is a network of spatially distributed, possibly interconnected servers. The server that is closest to the respective user of the website is always used. The CDN used here includes servers in North America and parts of Europe. Webflow hosts our website using the content delivery networks of Amazon Web Services, Inc., 410 Terry Avenue North, Seattle WA 98109. Although the server is located in Ireland, access to personal data from the USA cannot be excluded. When you visit our website, Webflow collects the above data, which is secured under the following guarantees. The European Commission has adopted an adequacy decision pursuant to Art. 45(3) GDPR for the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework. Based on this decision, data transfers to organizations located in the U.S. that are certified under the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework are permitted, accordingly. Webflow is certified under the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework. For more information please contact our data protection officer.
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5. Contact form

‍Through our website you have the possibility to contact us under "Contact us". In the course of contacting you and responding to your inquiry, we process the following personal data from you:
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  • First and last name
  • Email address
  • Communication content, if applicable
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If you contact us within the framework of an existing contractual relationship or contact us in advance for information about our range of services or our other services, the personal data you provide will be processed for the purpose of processing and responding to your contact request in accordance with Art. 6(1) s. 1 lit. b GDPR. Otherwise, for the protection of our legitimate interests pursuant to Art. 6(1) s. 1 lit. f GDPR to respond to customer/contact inquiries. We delete your personal data as soon as they are no longer required to achieve the purpose for which they were collected. In the context of contact inquiries, this is generally the case when the circumstances indicate that the specific matter has been conclusively processed.

6. Transfer of personal data

‍In the course of our processing of personal data, personal data may be transferred to or disclosed to other recipients. Recipients of this personal data may include, for example, service providers commissioned with IT tasks or providers of services and content that are integrated into a website. In such cases, we comply with the legal requirements and, in particular, conclude appropriate contracts or agreements that serve to protect your personal data with the recipients of your personal data.

7. Data deletion and retention periods

‍The personal data processed by us will be deleted in accordance with the legal requirements as soon as your consents permitted for processing are revoked or other permissions cease to apply (e.g., if the purpose of processing this data has ceased to apply or it is not required for the purpose). If the personal data are not deleted because they are required for other and legally permissible purposes, their processing will be limited to these purposes. That is, the personal data is blocked and not processed for other purposes. This applies, for example, to personal data that must be retained for reasons of commercial or tax law or whose storage is necessary for the assertion, exercise, or defense of legal claims or for the protection of the rights of another natural or legal person. As far as our privacy policy contains further information on the retention and deletion of personal data, thse have priority for the respective processing activities.

8. Your rights as a data subject

As a data subject, you are entitled to various rights under the GDPR, which arise in particular from Art. 15 to 21 GDPR. If you wish to exercise any of your rights, please contact us via the contact addresses provided above or our data protection officer.

8.1. Right of objection 

You have the right to object at any time, on grounds relating to your particular situation, to the processing of personal data concerning you which is carried out on the basis of Art. 6(1) lit. e or lit. f GDPR; this also applies to profiling based on these provisions. If the personal data concerning you is processed for the purpose of direct marketing, you have the right to object at any time to the processing of personal data concerning you for the purpose of such marketing; this also applies to profiling insofar as it is related to such direct marketing. If you object, we will no longer process your personal data unless we can demonstrate compelling legitimate grounds for the processing which override your interests, rights and freedoms, or the processing serves to assert, exercise or defend legal claims.
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8.2. Right of access to your personal data

‍You have the right to request confirmation as to whether personal data in question is being processed and to information about this personal data, as well as further information and a copy of the personal data in accordance with the legal requirements.

8.3. Right to rectification

‍In accordance with the legal requirements, you have the right to request that the personal concerning you be completed or that incorrect personal data concerning you be corrected.

‍8.4. Right to erasure and restriction of processing

‍You have the right to demand that personal data concerning you be deleted immediately if one of the reasons provided for by law applies and insofar as the processing or storage is not necessary.

‍8.5. Restriction of processing

‍You have the right to demand that we restrict processing if one of the legal requirements is met.

8.6. Right to data portability

You have the right to receive personal data concerning you, which you have provided to us, in a structured, common and machine-readable format in accordance with the legal requirements, or to request that it be transferred to another controller.

‍8.7. Right of withdrawal for consents

‍You have the right to revoke any consent you have given at any time.

‍8.8. Complaint to supervisory authority

‍Without prejudice to any other administrative or judicial remedy, you have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority, in particular in the Member State of your habitual residence, place of work or the place of the alleged infringement, if you consider that the processing of personal data concerning you infringes the requirements of the GDPR.

‍9. Modification and update of the privacy policy

‍We adapt the privacy policy as soon as the changes in the data processing carried out by us make this necessary. We will inform you as soon as the changes require an act of cooperation on your part (e.g., consent) or other individual notification.

If we continue to develop our website and our offerings or if legal or regulatory requirements change, it may be necessary to amend this privacy policy. You can access the current privacy policy at any time here.
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IMPRINT

Information in accordance with § 5 DDG:
‍
Mapular UG (haftungsbeschränkt)
c/o TOG The Office Group
(Germany) GmbH
Kronenstraße 63
10117 Berlin
Germany

‍Contact:

Phone: +49 30 20994953
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E-mail: info@mapular.com

Authorized Representatives:
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Peter Rose, Managing Director,
Finn Geiger, Managing Director

Commercial Register:
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Registration Number: HRB 198464 B
Registration Court: Amtsgericht Charlottenburg

VAT ID:
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DE319612636
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Responsible for the content according to § 55(2) RStV:

Peter Rose

TOG The Office Group
(Germany) GmbH
Kronenstraße 63
10117 Berlin
Germany

EU Dispute Resolution

The European Commission provides a platform for online dispute resolution (ODR): https://ec.europa.eu/consumers/odr. Our e-mail address can be found above in the site notice.
We are not willing or obliged to participate in dispute resolution proceedings before a consumer arbitration board.

Liability for Contents
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As service providers, we are liable for our own content on these websites in accordance with Paragraph 7, Sect. 1 of the German Digital Services Act (DDG). However, service providers are not obligated to permanently monitor the information they submit or store, or to search for evidence that indicates illegal activities, in accordance with Paragraphs 8 to 10 of the DDG.
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Legal obligations to remove information or block the use of information remain in force. In this case, liability is only possible from the time of knowledge of a specific infringement. Illegal content will be removed immediately upon our becoming aware of it.

Liability for Links

Our offer includes links to external third-party websites over which we have no control. Therefore, we cannot assume any liability for these external contents. The respective provider or operator of the pages is always responsible for the contents of the linked pages.
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The linked pages were checked for possible legal violations at the time of linking. No illegal content was found at the time of linking. A permanent control of the content of linked websites is not reasonable without concrete evidence of a violation of the law. If we become aware of any infringements, we will remove such links immediately.

Copyright
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The content and works created by the site operators on these pages are subject to German copyright law. Duplication, processing, distribution, and any form of commercialization of such material beyond the scope of the copyright law require the express written consent of the copyright holder.
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Copies and downloads of this site are only permitted for private, non-commercial use. Insofar as the content on this site was not created by the operator, the copyrights of third parties are respected. In particular, content from third parties is marked as such. If you nonetheless become aware of a copyright infringement, we would ask you to notify us accordingly. If we become aware of any legal infringements, we will remove such content immediately.

Copyright Notice
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© 2025 Mapular UG (haftungsbeschränkt). All rights reserved.