As part of the runway re-design effort, DRMP’s GIS team worked with aviation engineers and surveyors to update the utility and airspace GIS data for the remote Wideawake Airfield on Ascension Island in the Atlantic Ocean. DRMP GIS experts utilized unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) and terrestrial LiDAR to validate obstructions to airfield navigation, created 2D/3D imaginary surfaces for the existing and proposed runway design, and imported utility survey data to the Air Force’s Spatial Data Standards for Facilities, Infrastructure and Environment (SDSFIE) GeoBase standard.

The team served as the common platform for viewing survey, design and geospatial data for asset validation. Airfield lighting and utility data was updated using current survey data and field observations. Through GIS and related aviation software extensions, the team updated the imaginary surfaces regulating navigation and construction around the airfield, creating 2D and 3D versions.  Vertical obstructions were reviewed and validated for waiver requirements. 

The Air Force received an accurate picture of utility assets on and around the Widewake Airfield, assisting in project planning and estimating as well as asset management and maintenance. With our team’s prior federal GIS experience, we could implement a solution quickly for integrating new data into the Air Force’s SDSFIE data schema. Finally, we created a new imaginary surface layer based on changes in the runway design that the base can use for future project planning and construction.