Professional terrain analysis powered by PDAL and DuckDB. Process LiDAR point clouds, calculate viewsheds, analyze slope and aspect, and generate contour lines — all on your mobile device.
The Terrain Analysis module brings desktop GIS capabilities to ATAK. Built on PDAL (Point Data Abstraction Library) and DuckDB, it provides fast, efficient processing of elevation data and LiDAR point clouds directly on mobile devices.
A reconnaissance team needs to identify observation posts with clear lines of sight to a target compound. They load the DEM for the area, mark the target location, and generate a viewshed analysis showing all positions with visibility. The result overlays on their map in seconds.
Process LiDAR data from airborne or terrestrial scanners. Filter, classify, and extract features from point clouds to create terrain models and identify structures.
| LiDAR Operation | Description | Output |
|---|---|---|
| Classification | Separate ground, vegetation, buildings | Classified point cloud |
| Ground Extraction | Create bare-earth DEM | Raster elevation model |
| Height Normalization | Remove terrain influence | Normalized heights |
| Building Detection | Identify structure footprints | Building polygons |
| Vegetation Analysis | Calculate canopy height, density | Vegetation metrics |
Generate and analyze digital elevation models from various sources. Calculate derived products essential for tactical planning.
Determine what can be seen from a given point. Essential for selecting observation posts, identifying blind spots, and planning concealed routes.
| Analysis Type | Description | Tactical Use |
|---|---|---|
| Line of Sight | Visibility between two points | Can position A see position B? |
| Viewshed | All visible areas from point | Observation post selection |
| Reverse Viewshed | Areas that can see a location | Exposure assessment |
| Intervisibility | Mutual visibility network | Communication relay planning |
Assess terrain traversability for different vehicle types and movement modes. Combine slope, surface, and vegetation data to generate go/no-go areas.
A logistics convoy needs to reach a forward operating base. Planners run mobility analysis for their vehicle class, identifying routes where tracked vehicles can travel but wheeled vehicles cannot. The analysis reveals an alternate route avoiding steep grades.
Visualize terrain in three dimensions for better situational understanding. Combine elevation with imagery overlays for realistic scene representation.
Work with elevation data from multiple sources, from global SRTM to high-resolution local surveys.
| Source | Resolution | Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| SRTM | 30m / 90m | Global (56°S to 60°N) |
| ASTER GDEM | 30m | Global |
| COPERNICUS | 30m | Global |
| LiDAR Survey | 1m or better | Project-specific |
| Drone Photogrammetry | 10cm or better | Site-specific |