1Spatial plc, the spatial big data company, has been working with No 1 AIDU (No 1 Aeronautical Information Documents Unit) on a chart database, critical to mission and flight planning around the globe.
“Our team is highly experienced in managing and servicing large amounts of mission critical spatial data, using cutting edge products from our 1Spatial Management Suite”
No 1 AIDU was formed back in 1953 to provide the UK’s Royal Air Force with specialist aeronautical cartographic information. Today it is at the forefront of air cartography world-wide and is part of the JFIG (Joint Forces Intelligence Group). No 1 AIDU is charged with providing maps, charts and aeronautical data on defence aircrew, air traffic controllers and aerospace battle managers of UK and allied military forces.
As part of an intelligence sharing agreement with the US, AIDU takes specific responsibility for maintaining geospatial data for the UK, Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. No 1 AIDU also shares data with Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
The accuracy, consistency and currency of geospatial data used for flight planning is key and is ensured by strict adherence to a 28 day AIRAC (Aeronautical Information Regulation and Control) cycle. AIDU had a system where each chart was held in a separate database. Regular updates were consuming large amounts of time and left the system open to inconsistencies between charts.
No 1 AIDU wanted to create an easier way to maintain geospatial data, reducing the potential for inconsistencies. No 1 AIDU selected 1Spatial to design and deliver the new solution, dubbed Aeronautical Production System (APS). At the centre of APS is a single, object orientated database that holds geospatial data covering the globe. The database conforms to DAFIF (Digital Aeronautical Flight Information File), the international military standard for aeronautical data, but combines additional data such as DVOF (Digital Vertical Obstruction Files), which are important to UK forces.
“With APS, we make an amendment to the database once and regardless of how many charts include that item, the single chart covers all of them. And, we can change it today for whenever we want it to be effective. A good example is the 2012 London Olympics. We knew two or three years in advance that we would be imposing a three month Danger Area over certain locations where no-one would be able to fly. In the old system, we would have had to wait until that became effective, apply it to each individual chart and then remove it as and when the period had lapsed. With APS, we simply entered the information as soon as we knew – everything else happened automatically” said Corporal Richard Jennings, No 1 AIDU.
In designing APS, 1Spatial used a set of data management tools, some of which are now available as the 1Spatial Management Suite (1SMS). 1SMS manages the end to end process of planning, maintaining and publishing data, ensuring it is always secure, accurate and in a validated, publishable format.
“1Spatial is proud to have a long and trusted relationship with No 1 AIDU in supporting them in providing such vital data globally,” commented Alison Masters, CMO, 1Spatial. “Our team is highly experienced in managing and servicing large amounts of mission critical spatial data, using cutting edge products from our 1Spatial Management Suite”.
AIDU’s ability to respond to requests has improved with the deployment of APS. DVOF data which previously took two staff the full 28 days AIRAC cycle to update can now be processed in just two days. Custom charts for any route in the world can now also be created in days rather than months.
To read the full case study visit: http://1spatial.com/customer/no-1-aeronautical-information-documents-unit