Reaching beyond GIS for comprehensive 3D visibility analysis

Abstract

Visibility analyses are one of the fundamental geospatial processing tasks applied in various fields. Recent technological advancements have accelerated viewshed calculations and improved their accuracy thanks to the growing availability of high-resolution spatial data. However, limitations of standard GIS tools, primarily related to the inability to perform analyses in a fully three-dimensional environment and the restriction to only point-based object analyses, have hindered the development of visibility analyses methods that accurately replicate human perspectives. This article presents a novel approach that combines GIS with 3D graphic software and uses high resolution LIDAR data. The presented method not only addresses the limitations of traditional GIS methods but also opens up new possibilities for comprehensive 3D visibility analyses that can better represent real-world scenarios. The proposed methodology, which ensures compatibility of the results with GIS for further spatial analysis, has the potential to enhance decision-making processes in fields such as urban planning, landscape management and protection, environmental impact assessment, infrastructure planning and development. By presenting a case study involving a photovoltaic farm, this article demonstrates the practical applicability and benefits of the proposed method in real-world scenarios.