News
Sep 30, 2025
OpenTopography provides easy, centralized access to a diverse collection of topographic data. We strive to simplify data discovery by providing a single, accessible platform that integrates data from a variety of sources including the USGS 3D Elevation Program (3DEP), NOAA Coastal Lidar, Natural Resources Canada, Polar Geospatial Center, and many more. Below are highlights of datasets that became available or were updated on the OpenTopography platform in September 2025.
A. Location of new LINZ dataset in red in New Zealand. B. Location of new NOAA datasets in Alaska in blue. C. Location... more
Sep 9, 2025
OpenTopography provides easy, centralized access to a diverse collection of topographic data. We strive to simplify data discovery by providing a single, accessible platform that integrates data from a variety of sources including the USGS 3D Elevation Program (3DEP), NOAA Coastal Lidar, Natural Resources Canada, Polar Geospatial Center, and many more. Below are highlights of datasets that became available or were updated on the OpenTopography platform in August 2025.
Left hand panel shows the location of existing USGS 3DEP 1 meter coverage (gray), and areas where new 1 meter data were... more
Sep 8, 2025
OpenTopography-hosted high-resolution raster topography datasets have been selected for integration into the National Science Foundation's (NSF) National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource (NAIRR) Pilot Program. The goal of the NAIRR Pilot is to give researchers access to high-quality datasets that support the advancement of AI literacy, education, and innovation. Dataset selection was conducted through a competitive process led by NSF in collaboration with an interagency working group representing twelve federal agencies.
OpenTopography curates and provides open, citable topographic... more
Aug 11, 2025
OpenTopography provides easy, centralized access to a diverse collection of topographic data. We strive to simplify data discovery by providing a single, accessible platform that integrates data from a variety of sources including the USGS 3D Elevation Program (3DEP), NOAA Coastal Lidar, Natural Resources Canada, Polar Geospatial Center, and many more. Below are highlights of datasets that became available on the OpenTopography platform in July 2025.
Left hand panel shows the location of new LINZ data near Auckland, New Zealand and over the Southern Alps. The central panel shows the... more
Jul 21, 2025
We are excited to announce a major expansion of OpenTopography's international data catalog with the addition of the High Resolution Digital Elevation Model (HRDEM) from Natural Resources Canada.
The HRDEM is part of the CanElevation Series and supports the National Elevation Data Strategy implemented by Natural Resources Canada. OpenTopography now provides on-demand access to the 1-meter, lidar-derived portion of this collection, offering unprecedented detail across much of southern Canada.
Derived from high-precision airborne lidar, this 1-meter resolution dataset is ideal for a wide... more
Jul 2, 2025
OpenTopography provides easy, centralized access to a diverse collection of topographic data. We strive to simplify data discovery by providing a single, accessible platform that integrates data from academic, private, and federal sources, including the USGS 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) and NOAA Coastal Lidar. Below are highlights of datasets that became available on the OpenTopography platform in June 2025.
Left hand panel shows the location of new data over Mount Ruapehu, New Zealand. Right hand panel shows the location of a new Community Dataspace dataset in purple on the coast of Lake... more
May 29, 2025
OpenTopography provides easy, centralized access to a diverse collection of topographic data. We strive to simplify data discovery by providing a single, accessible platform that integrates data from academic, private, and federal sources, including the USGS 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) and NOAA Coastal Lidar. Below are highlights of datasets that became available on the OpenTopography platform in May 2025.
Left hand panel shows new Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) dataset coverage added in May 2025 in red. Right hand panel shows the location of a new Community Dataspace dataset in... more
May 16, 2025
Lidar systems produce a high density 'point cloud' - a collection of precise three-dimensional coordinates - that offers a detailed digital representation of scanned surfaces and their features. To unlock the full potential of this data for analysis, these points are classified after collection using algorithms and manual processing to differentiate surface types. This means each point is assigned a code identifying the type of feature it reflected from—such as ground, buildings, or vegetation. The American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS) has established a widely adopted... more
Apr 29, 2025
OpenTopography provides easy, centralized access to a diverse collection of topographic data. We strive to simplify data discovery by providing a single, accessible platform that integrates data from academic, private, and federal sources, including the USGS 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) and NOAA Coastal Lidar. Below are highlights of datasets that became available on the OpenTopography platform in April 2025.
Left hand panel shows new Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) dataset coverage in red. Middle panel shows two new Community Dataspace datasets in purple in Southern California.... more
Apr 9, 2025
OpenTopography provides easy, centralized access to a diverse collection of topographic data. We strive to simplify data discovery by providing a single, accessible platform that integrates data from academic, private, and federal sources, including the USGS 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) and NOAA Coastal Lidar. Below are highlights of datasets that became available on the OpenTopography platform in March 2025.
Location of USGS 3DEP and NOAA Coastal Lidar point cloud datasets released in March 2025 and accessible through OpenTopography. USGS 3DEP datasets are in green, NOAA Coastal Lidar... more
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