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!
π°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
πΊοΈ Where Does AW3D30 Cover?
Complete Global Coverage
β 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)
β 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!
π― 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.
π Resolution Comparison
Data Source
Resolution
Coverage
Best For
USGS 1m DEM
1 meter
70-80% of US
Ultra-fine US detail
USGS 10m DEM
10 meters
All of US
US standard quality
AW3D30
30 meters
Worldwide
International 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!
Search for any location worldwide using the search box
Select your region on the map
Click "Generate 3D Preview"
TopoMiller will automatically use AW3D30 data for international regions!
π‘ 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!