The Singapore Land Authority’s National 3D Mapping project gains ground with the recent unveiling of the new “Singapore Advanced Map” at the Esri Imaging and Mapping Forum in San Diego, CA.

A recognized best practice institution for land-use optimization, SLA took the stage to unveil the Singapore Advanced Map (SAM) - a new planning system that allows them to integrate 2D maps and 3D models to support the agency’s operation, planning, policy formulation and risk management requirements.

According to SLA Chief Executive Tan Boon Khai, SAM demonstrates the benefits of combining 2D and 3D GIS capability and visualisation, providing seamless and comprehensive access to 3D information that would allow planners and analysts to better visualise situations above- and under- ground to aid in operation planning, situational awareness, decision-making, risk management and policy formulation.

“Currently, SAM is used in-house to support daily operations. We are continuously looking into smart technologies to effectively enhance our service workflows and to build a future-ready system,” said Mr Tan

“The system is newly implemented and it will be gradually enhanced with information and features to fit the users’ needs. Traditionally, we used 2D GIS where only 2D information are available. With SAM, 3D information is readily accessible on an integrated platform and would serve to speed up the decision making process.”

“With reality 3D models, it also increases our users’ understanding and awareness of actual ground conditions which would help in our management of State land and properties.”

Meanwhile, Esri Singapore CEO Thomas Pramotedham said, “Having authoritative data on-hand is important. However, it’s not as important as the insights that help drive our critical socio- economic development initiatives.

“With SAM, decision-makers from across various departments are equipped with enhanced spatial analytics capabilities that allows them to derive actionable insights from their data – regardless whether they’re 2D, 3D, or just simple schematics.”

“By having the capability to put the right set of data together on a collaborative platform enables our decision-makers to ask the right questions and develop new and smarter ways of delivering their mandate,” Mr Pramotedham said.