Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1393937
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 18 JULY 2021 12 COMMERCIAL Renewing Malta's basemap DEPICTING the islands' geography, the basemap of the Maltese archipelago offers a three-dimensional view of the country, with layers of information use- ful to many. Yet, despite its abundant potential locally, Malta's basemap had not been updated in over 30 years – until 2018 when it was updated as part of the SIn- tegraM project – an EU ERDF project managed by the Planning Authority. The PA did not stop there since in early 2020, Malta's Planning Authority (PA) set out to update the 2018 basem- ap on a regular basis to ensure that Mal- ta's spatial data infrastructure is kept updated. "Our basemap was originally created in 1988, so it needed a significant up- date to make it more representative of Malta today," explains Joseph Gauci, the PA's Deputy Director for ICT, Map- ping and Digital Services. "We will also continue to keep it up to date while de- veloping a new system in Malta for how we collect, manage, analyse and share spatial data." Gauci's team uses high-resolution or- thographic 3D imagery and drones to build the volumes of data across the map's 18 layers and more than 50 dif- ferent classifications with impeccable precision. Charting the key characteristics of Malta's terrain (including buildings, cliffs, roads and open spaces), the map's potential uses range from better spatial planning and the proper management of ecosystems and their services, to the creation of new bus routes and emer- gency services. "Until now, most models have only been available in 2D, so a 3D model will give a more detailed, reliable insight into Malta's terrain," Gauci says. "This specialised information has unique im- A year ago, the basemap of the Maltese Islands no longer ref lected reality, as it had been three decades since its last revision. Deputy Director for ICT, Mapping and Digital Services Joseph Gauci discusses how Malta's Planning Authority has brought the basemap back up to date – and how it will keep it current "Through an integrated approach, we can work together to ensure Malta's assets are respected and incorporated into every development decision, which is especially important on such a small island."