<h6 id="SurveyDataCatalogue-accessingthecurrentLiDARcaptureprogramme-Created:06November2019Updated:30May2023">Created: 06 November 2019 Updated: 30 May 2023</h6>The current LIDAR capture programme is available here <a href="https://environment.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/27d3192741ce48dfabdeb20f3d740bc7" class="external-link" rel="nofollow">Environment Agency LIDAR Capture Programme</a> This web application allows you to view and explore the Environment Agency's LiDAR capture programme.  It includes both forward look to the current winter capture season and previous seasons captured.

Survey Data Catalogue - accessing the current LiDAR capture programme

<h6 id="SurveyDataCatalogue-ASCIItoGeoTiffs-Created:09June2020Updated:31May2023">Created: 09 June 2020 Updated: 31 May 2023</h6>We have just released our latest 1 m and 2 m DTM Composite products on the Defra Data Services Platform (DSP). This includes the best available surveys captured before October 2019. With the 2019 release we have changed our data format from ASCII to GeoTiffs. These GeoTIff files are supplied in 5 km tiles with elevations in metres. GeoTIFF is a modern Geographical Information Systems (GIS) format widely used for delivering elevation data and was chosen due to its open standards and highly efficient data storage. Data volumes are on average 5x smaller, enabling faster download over internet and more manageable storage. Storing the data in GeoTiff also enables us to start to deliver more services over the web such as Image Services and WCS services. These services provide APIs for users view the data directly in a browser, or bring the data directly into desktop GIS and perform geoprocessing analysis on it. The old ASCII format meant we were limited to what we could offer. Moving to GeoTiff format also aligns the Composite product to our National LiDAR Programme products. The vast majority of software’s including QGIS, ArcGIS, GRASS &amp; AutoCAD Civil3D are able to open a GeoTiff file in the same way as the previous ASCII file. If you do experience any issues we have put together some links on converting between file formats on the Blogs and Guides section of our <a href="https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/753ad2ebd3554fa696885b8c366c3049" class="external-link" rel="nofollow">Remote Sensing &amp; Surveying in the Environment Agency</a>. This is a straightforward conversion process in GIS software.

Survey Data Catalogue - ASCII to GeoTiffs

<h6 id="SurveyDataCatalogue-downloadinglargeareasofLiDARdata-Created:26July2018Updated:14March2022">Created: 26 July 2018 Updated: 14 March 2022</h6>The open data portal only enables LiDAR data to be downloaded in 5km x 5km tiles. The portal is unable to deal with large data requests.It's now possible to download several tiles at the same time, but this can only be done for relatively small areas. There's no option of bulk download for the whole country or for a large area. This would need to be supplied offline.To order an offline supply of LiDAR data, make a request using the<a href="https://environment.data.gov.uk/support/datadownload" class="external-link" rel="nofollow"> Large Data Download</a> request form. Please advise what data and resolution you require.

Survey Data Catalogue - downloading large areas of LiDAR data

<h6 id="SurveyDataCatalogue-EnvironmentAgencydatacoverage-Created:06November2019Updated:24August2021">Created: 06 November 2019 Updated: 24 August 2021</h6>Please refer to the index catalogue which shows the coverage that we have for the different products in each grid square - <a href="https://environment.maps.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/27d3192741ce48dfabdeb20f3d740bc7" class="external-link" rel="nofollow">Environment Agency LIDAR Capture Programme</a>

Survey Data Catalogue - Environment Agency data coverage

<h6 id="SurveyDataCatalogue-findingavailabledatainmyAreaofInterest(AOI)-Created:26July2018Updated:17September2024">Created: 26 July 2018 Updated: 17 September 2024</h6>You can check the data availability for your AOI here: <a href="https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/753ad2ebd3554fa696885b8c366c3049/page/Survey-Index-Catalogues/" class="external-link" rel="nofollow">Survey Index Catalogues | Environment Agency Geomatics Hub</a>.  If no data is listed, we have not surveyed that location to date.You can download the LiDAR data here: <a href="https://environment.data.gov.uk/survey" class="external-link" rel="nofollow">Defra Survey Data Download</a>

Survey Data Catalogue - finding available data in my Area of Interest (AOI)

<h6 id="SurveyDataCatalogue-LiDARCompositeandSurfZoneDEMSurveydownloadzipfilesarenolongeravailableasaShapefile-Created:28February2024">Created: 28 February 2024</h6>In line with improvements being made to the Data Services Platform (DSP), <a href="https://www.geopackage.org/" class="external-link" rel="nofollow">GeoPackages</a> will gradually be implemented. GeoPackage is the latest development in open, geospatial formats and better support transfer of data for download. This format will be gradually implemented across the DSP.When you download LiDAR Composite or SurfZone DEM products from the <a href="https://environment.data.gov.uk/survey" class="external-link" rel="nofollow">Defra Survey Data Download</a>, the zip file will now contain a spatial metadata index file in GeoPackage format. This describes the spatial location and temporal extent of the raster elevation data.Technical guides describing the format and attribute schema of the index files which can be viewed from the relevant metadata record.

Survey Data Catalogue - LiDAR Composite and SurfZone DEM Survey download zip files are no longer available as a Shapefile

<h6 id="SurveyDataCatalogue-LiDARdatametadata-Created:13February2020Updated:5February2024">Created: 13 February 2020 Updated: 5 February 2024</h6>You can download the index catalogues for all of our products including details on the time of year the data was collected at this link:<a href="https://environment.data.gov.uk/explore/9f0fa3fc-a860-4729-adc9-47fe53f658d0?download=true" class="external-link" rel="nofollow">https://environment.data.gov.uk/explore/9f0fa3fc-a860-4729-adc9-47fe53f658d0?download=true</a>

Survey Data Catalogue - LiDAR data metadata

<h6 id="SurveyDataCatalogue-LiDARdatasurveyschedule-Created:26July2018Updated:25August2021">Created: 26 July 2018 Updated: 25 August 2021</h6>We will publish our survey programme in the autumn of each year. To find out more, please see our Geomatics site: <a href="https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/753ad2ebd3554fa696885b8c366c3049" class="external-link" rel="nofollow">Remote Sensing &amp; Surveying in the Environment Agency</a>  Use the &quot;Capture Programme&quot; link at the top of the page to see current and planned progress.

Survey Data Catalogue - LiDAR data survey schedule

<h6 id="SurveyDataCatalogue-openingandusingdownloadedLiDARfiles-Created:26July2018Updated:31January2023">Created: 26 July 2018 Updated: 31 January 2023</h6>LiDAR data is a technical dataset and will need specialist Geographic Information System (GIS) software in order to open it.If you do not already have GIS software then you may wish to consider using QGIS, which is free to download and there is plenty of documentation available on the internet -<a href="https://www.qgis.org/en/site/forusers/download.html" class="external-link" rel="nofollow">Download - QGIS Web Site</a> More information can be found in these external links:<ul><li>GRASS GIS is built into QGIS and has various tools for working with DEMs - <a href="https://grass.osgeo.org/learn/" class="external-link" rel="nofollow">Get to know the GRASS GIS ecosystem</a></li><li>Terrain analysis: <a href="https://docs.qgis.org/2.8/en/docs/training_manual/rasters/terrain_analysis.html" class="external-link" rel="nofollow">QGS Terrain Analysis</a> </li><li>3d terrain visualisation in QGIS: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KrCsbP0kUs" class="external-link" rel="nofollow">Digital Elevation Model (DEM) 3D Visualization in QGIS 3.0</a> </li></ul>More information including useful links to blogs on how to use LiDAR data can be found here: <a href="https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/753ad2ebd3554fa696885b8c366c3049" class="external-link" rel="nofollow">Remote Sensing &amp; Surveying in the Environment Agency</a>  If you just wish to view images of the data, you can do this via the “preview” feature for each of the LiDAR Composite data layer on the following page <a href="https://environment.data.gov.uk/searchresults?query=lidar+composite&amp;searchtype=All&amp;organisation=All&amp;orderby=Relevancy&amp;pagesize=20&amp;page=1" class="external-link" rel="nofollow">Defra Data Services Platform</a>.

Survey Data Catalogue - opening and using downloaded LiDAR files

<h6 id="SurveyDataCatalogue-pointdensityconsideredintheLiDARprogramme-Created:21October2020Updated:23December2021">Created: 21 October 2020 Updated: 23 December 2021</h6>The average point density for a survey depends on the required resolution of the surface model being produced from the point cloud.For a 1 m DSM surface model the point cloud will have an average point density across the survey of at least 1 point per square metre (ppsqm).For 50 cm this increases to 4 ppsqm and 25 cm resolution is 16 ppsqm.It should be noted that the point density is calculated for the DSM (made up of the last or only laser return) and not the DTM. Under vegetation the point density that makes up the DTM will not necessarily have 1ppsqm at 1 m resolution. The point density also varies across the scan - increasing where you have overlap from multiple flight lines and can also vary in forward scan direction in areas where the terrain changes significantly.The point cloud is therefore not a regular grid and is why we talk about the density of a point cloud and not it’s resolution.Access the Lidar data here: <a href="https://environment.data.gov.uk/survey" class="external-link" rel="nofollow">Defra Survey Data Download</a>

Survey Data Catalogue - point density considered in the LiDAR programme

<h6 id="SurveyDataCatalogue-projectioninformation-Created:26July2018Updated:30May2023">Created: 26 July 2018 Updated: 30 May 2023</h6>All our data is supplied in OSGB'36 British National Grid, with elevations recorded above Ordnance Datum Newlyn (AODN).Our LiDAR Composite is transformed using the OSTN'15 geoid mode.The Ordnance Survey geoid models have updated over time as they have become more sophisticated. We have always used the latest models available at the time of survey. For LIDAR time stamped data and point cloud data please refer to the metadata catalogues for the specific geoid model used for a survey.For all surveys carried out post 26th August 2016 we have used the latest (OSGM'15) geoid model.

Survey Data Catalogue - projection information

<h6 id="SurveyDataCatalogue-ScottishLiDARdata-Created:13February2020Updated:08February2021">Created: 13 February 2020 Updated: 08 February 2021</h6>The Environment Agency have done some LiDAR surveys of Scotland in the past. Since the Environment Agency is now only responsible for England, we do not update our coverage for Scotland.The Scottish Government have a LiDAR programme; their data and data collected by EA in the past can be found here: <a href="https://data.gov.uk/search?q=scottish+lidar" class="external-link" rel="nofollow">data.gov.uk</a> Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) also have some data available here: <a href="https://www.sepa.org.uk/environment/environmental-data/" class="external-link" rel="nofollow">SEPA Data publication</a>

Survey Data Catalogue - Scottish LiDAR data

<h6 id="SurveyDataCatalogue-verticalaccuracyoftheLiDARdata-Created:26July2018Updated:14October2021"> Created: 26 July 2018 Updated: 14 October 2021</h6>Our specifications require the absolute height error to be less than ±15 cm. This is the root mean squared error or RMSE. It quantifies the error or difference between the Ground Truth Survey and the LIDAR data. We expect the relative height error (random error) to be no more than ±5 cm.To find out the Ground Truth result of a particular survey please see our <a href="https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/753ad2ebd3554fa696885b8c366c3049/page/page_1/" class="external-link" rel="nofollow">Environment Agency LIDAR Capture Programme</a>.

Survey Data Catalogue - vertical accuracy of the LiDAR data

<h6 id="SurveyDataCatalogue-wheretoviewanddownloadmetadataforallLiDARproducts-Created:06November2019Updated:30May2023">Created: 06 November 2019 Updated: 30 May 2023</h6>We only hold data for England.To find links to metadata and coverage maps, please use this link <a href="https://environment.maps.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/27d3192741ce48dfabdeb20f3d740bc7" class="external-link" rel="nofollow">Environment Agency LIDAR Capture Programme</a>. If no data is listed, we have not surveyed that location to date. Please contact Natural Resources Wales for data of Wales - <a href="https://naturalresources.wales/evidence-and-data/access-our-data/?lang=en" class="external-link" rel="nofollow">Accessing our data</a>  Please contact Scottish Government for data of Scotland -  <a href="https://data.gov.uk/search?q=scottish+lidar" class="external-link" rel="nofollow">data.gov.uk</a>

Survey Data Catalogue - where to view and download metadata for all LiDAR products

<h6 id="SurveyDataCatalogue-wheretoviewLiDARdata-Created:13February2020Updated:30May2023">Created: 13 February 2020 Updated: 30 May 2023</h6>You can view an image of our LiDAR data through this web map service Preview option available for all our LiDAR Composite datasets available on the <a href="https://environment.data.gov.uk/searchresults?query=lidar+composite&amp;searchtype=All&amp;organisation=All&amp;orderby=Relevancy&amp;pagesize=20&amp;page=1" class="external-link" rel="nofollow">Defra Data Services Platform</a>.  To view the data, choose one of the Composite datasets in the list above and click on it. On the metadata/information page for each dataset, scroll down to the Dataset links section and click on the preview button corresponding to the WMS link. The Preview page will open, where you will need to zoom in to the area you are interested in and switch on the layer you wish to view - choosing from the data itself or footprint/boundary of it. The Coverage Metadata Files - Web Map Service Preview option will give you a similar overview of the extents of all raster data we publish, but not the data itself. The 'Preview' service is only an image of the data and as such it cannot be queried.If you wish to use our data, please see this FAQ - <a href="https://environment.data.gov.uk/support/faqs/275879146/302907835" class="external-link" rel="nofollow">Survey Data Catalogue - opening and using downloaded LiDAR files</a>

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Survey Data Catalogue - LiDAR data metadata

Created: 13 February 2020 Updated: 5 February 2024