🌍 Global Coverage: AW3D30 30m Elevation Data

TopoMiller uses AW3D30 (ALOS World 3D) 30m resolution elevation data for worldwide coverage, providing excellent terrain detail for international regions and areas outside the US.

Global Coverage: AW3D30 provides consistent 30m resolution elevation data for nearly the entire planet (82Β°N to 82Β°S latitude) - perfect for creating CNC terrain carvings anywhere in the world!

πŸ›°οΈ What is AW3D30?

AW3D30 stands for ALOS World 3D - 30m, a global digital surface model created by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) using data from the ALOS satellite's PRISM (Panchromatic Remote-sensing Instrument for Stereo Mapping) sensor.

  • Resolution: 30 meters per pixel (approximately 1 arc-second)
  • Coverage: 82Β°N to 82Β°S latitude (99.9% of land surface)
  • Vertical Accuracy: ~5 meters RMSE (root mean square error)
  • Data Source: Satellite-based stereo imaging from ALOS PRISM
  • Last Updated: Continuously improved with reprocessing

πŸ—ΊοΈ Where Does AW3D30 Cover?

Complete Global Coverage

βœ… Covered Regions

  • All of Europe
  • All of Asia
  • All of Africa
  • All of South America
  • All of Central America
  • All of Australia & Oceania
  • Most of North America
  • Antarctic coast (to 82Β°S)

❌ Not Covered

  • Arctic regions above 82Β°N
  • Antarctic interior below 82Β°S
  • Small oceanic islands may have limited coverage

For most terrestrial locations worldwide, AW3D30 provides excellent elevation data!

🎯 How TopoMiller Uses AW3D30

TopoMiller integrates AW3D30 data through the OpenTopography API, automatically selecting it when:

  • Your region is outside the United States
  • Higher-resolution US data (1m/10m) is not available
  • Other data sources (AWS Terrain Tiles) are unavailable

No configuration needed! TopoMiller automatically detects the best available data source for your selected region.

πŸ“Š Resolution Comparison

Data SourceResolutionCoverageBest For
USGS 1m DEM1 meter70-80% of USUltra-fine US detail
USGS 10m DEM10 metersAll of USUS standard quality
AW3D3030 metersWorldwideInternational regions

Example: For a 10km Γ— 10km area:

  • 1m DEM: 100 million elevation points - ultra-high detail
  • 10m DEM: 1 million elevation points - excellent quality
  • AW3D30: ~111,000 elevation points - great for major terrain features

While 30m has fewer points than 1m or 10m data, it still captures major terrain features beautifully for CNC carvings - mountains, valleys, ridges, and coastlines come through clearly!

🎨 Perfect for International Landmarks

Great Regions to Try

πŸ”οΈ Mountain Ranges:

  • The Alps (Switzerland, Austria, Italy)
  • Mount Fuji (Japan)
  • Himalayas (Nepal, India)
  • Andes (South America)

πŸŒ‹ Volcanic Features:

  • Mount Etna (Italy)
  • Mount Kilimanjaro (Tanzania)
  • Mauna Kea (Hawaii)
  • ParicutΓ­n (Mexico)

πŸ–οΈ Coastal Features:

  • Norwegian Fjords
  • Great Barrier Reef coast
  • Greek Islands
  • New Zealand coastline

🏜️ Desert & Canyons:

  • Sahara sand dunes
  • Wadi Rum (Jordan)
  • Australian Outback
  • Namib Desert

πŸ“– Technical Details

Data Specifications

  • Coordinate System: WGS84 Geographic (latitude/longitude)
  • Vertical Datum: EGM96 geoid
  • Format: GeoTIFF via OpenTopography API
  • Grid Spacing: 1 arc-second (approximately 30m at equator)
  • Provider: JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency)
  • Distribution: OpenTopography (free tier available)

βœ… Try It Yourself

Ready to create a CNC carving of your favorite international location?

  1. Go to the Generate page
  2. Search for any location worldwide using the search box
  3. Select your region on the map
  4. Click "Generate 3D Preview"
  5. TopoMiller will automatically use AW3D30 data for international regions!

πŸ’‘ Pro Tip: While 30m resolution is coarser than US 1m/10m data, it's perfectly suited for larger regions and captures the dramatic terrain features that make international landscapes so stunning. Try selecting a 20km Γ— 20km region around a mountain range for best results!


Learn More: Visit JAXA's AW3D30 Information Page or OpenTopography for more technical details about this dataset.