Aviation Geospatial FAQs

What exactly is an Airport Mapping Database?
An Airport Mapping Database (AMDB) is a vector geospatial database containing information on the significant features of an airport required to support airplane and rotorcraft surface movement. The physical data format is the well-known ESRI Shapefile, which can be readily ingested by most Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software applications and GIS data viewers.

What is the data standard used to construct AMDBs from IKONOS®?
Our AMDBs are constructed from requirements published by the Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics (RTCA), known as DO-272, and published by the European Organization for Aviation Equipment (EUROCAE) as ED-99. We routinely construct to the "Coarse" and "Medium" DO-272 standards, and can construct to "Fine" DO-272 standards in the United States and Canada. We can also construct custom AMDBs.

What is the processing standard used to construct AMDBs from IKONOS?
All products and services from GeoEye are constructed according to published ISO 9002 procedures, which are strictly adhered to. Our manufacturing process for the construction of AMDBs is based on requirements published by the RTCA and EUROCAE, known as the DO-200A, for processing aeronautical data.

How are AMBDs priced?
All airports are classified into four categories according to their complexity: Simple, Medium, Complex, and Very Complex. This classification is derived from the number of runways, taxiways, ramps, aprons, parking positions, helipads, buildings, and other airport features. Once an airport has been classified as described above, the AMDB for that airport will have one of four possible fixed prices. Pricing information for airport imagery (a single IKONOS 10km x 10km tile) is available from a customer service representative.

How can I get my AMDB updated as my airport changes?
We offer one-time and subscription programs. With an initial sale, the AMDB is yours to modify with imagery acquired at any time. With a subscription program, we can periodically collect imagery of your airport and update the vector information in the AMDB.