Sinclair Knight Merz was engaged to capture utility services data covering the various towns and villages within Yass Shire. The data was then incorporated into the Council’s Geographical Information System (GIS). The project involved:
- the capture of all above ground features of the different services
- importing the data into the existing GIS format
- defining the network connectivity using existing Council plans and asset identification numbers.
The solution provided by Sinclair Knight Merz was the capture of data using a combination of aerial photography and traditional surveying methods using Global Positioning System technology. All distortions of the photography were corrected to produce a true orthogonal view. This product is known as an orthophoto and is used as the base image for displaying all other datasets.
Council is able to view the utility services data in relation to the "physical occupation" environment. The orthophoto can be used as a visual aid during Council meetings or included in development proposals. It also provides a photographic record of the area, which can be sold commercially.