Shanghai Municipal Institute of Surveying & Mapping (SMI), China

Mapping Shanghai: Improving data quality and currency with the latest technology

The Challenge:

The late 1990s saw SMI digitize the vast majority of Shanghai’s land basemaps and implement new data collection methods using aerial photography, remote sensing, and field collection. Around the same time, the Chinese government provided formal funding and planning for base scale maps to be updated nationally on a regular basis. Specifications were set for basemaps, including making full use of legacy mapping data from various sources and scales, converting legacy data efficiently, establishing workflows for data updates, ensuring the currency and reliability of databases, using open systems and data formats, and meeting requirements for data capture and applications.

In order to meet these specifications and implement up-to-date technology in geographic information systems (GIS), global positioning systems (GPS), and remote sensing, SMI established a new surveying and mapping workflow and implemented an up-to-date system for geospatial data management.

The Project Objectives:

Establish a new surveying and mapping workflow to merge all basemap data into a single Oracle database and implement strict quality requirements to ensure data integrity
Provide more accurate and up-to-date GIS data to assist government departments and corporate clients in decision-making and planning

The Solution:

SMI selected Intergraph’s GeoMedia technology for use with an Oracle database as the central repository for geospatial data. This replaced a fragmented system that used multiple technologies and data formats.

Interoperability and support for Oracle were key factors in choosing Intergraph technology. SMI chose GeoMedia due to its flexibility and open architecture, particularly the ability to connect and export to many GIS and CAD file formats. GeoMedia also had the advantage of full support for Oracle’s security functions, such as user and role auditing, client/server connection security, and data flow security.

In developing the new system, SMI consulted widely with government clients and internal GIS users to determine appropriate data specifications. SMI had a large repository of digital maps in AutoCAD format, which required an automated data conversion process. Quality control was considered paramount for data conversion and ongoing updates, and strict procedures were put in place.

The new system manages 280 GB of data, covering all of Shanghai’s 6,400 square kilometers. Data is increasing at a rate of 56 GB every year as updates are made to the system, while still retaining a time-stamped version of the previous information. Data ranges from scales of 1:500 to 1:50,000. SMI has also developed an application to distribute data over the Web.

Future Plans:

In the future, SMI plans to integrate cartographic data into their geospatial data management system.

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