Qatar 3D City Model Sets New Benchmark in Geospatial Innovation
Khatib & Alami (K&A) has delivered Qatar 3D City Model, the country’s first national-scale 3D City Model, for the Centre for Geographic Information Systems (CGIS) under the Ministry of Municipality. This milestone positions Qatar at the forefront of geospatial innovation, digital-twin development, and smart-city planning.
Developed as part of the National Data Capture and Mapping initiative, the Qatar 3D City Model represents a transformative step in modernizing national geospatial infrastructure and enabling data-driven decision-making across government entities.
K&A Advances Qatar’s Geospatial Infrastructure
As Qatar’s official geospatial authority, CGIS continues to lead advancements in aerial imaging, 3D modeling, and mapping systems. Building on achievements in 2022 and 2023, K&A delivered nationwide 20 cm aerial photography, updated vector maps and orthophotos, and conducted an 8 cm aerial imagery mission to generate detailed 3D city models.
These efforts significantly expand the accuracy, accessibility, and scope of Qatar’s geospatial data. By establishing an in-house system for aerial data acquisition, processing, and GIS production, Qatar has replaced legacy workflows and external dependencies with a scalable, self-sufficient national mapping program.
Meeting Growing Demand for Smart City Intelligence
Qatar’s rapid urban growth and sustainability objectives require advanced geospatial technologies to monitor and manage both built and natural environments. In response, CGIS launched a comprehensive transformation program in 2021 to deliver the most accurate and up-to-date spatial data nationwide, directly supporting Qatar National Vision 2030.
Using a Diamond DA62 MPP aircraft equipped with a Vexcel UltraCam Osprey 4.1 camera and RIEGL topographic and bathymetric LiDAR sensors, the team captured 20 cm nadir imagery to update the national topographic vector map. They also collected 8 cm nadir and oblique imagery over 218 km² of urban areas for 3D city model development, alongside nationwide topographic LiDAR and coastal bathymetric LiDAR data.
This interoperable dataset—including orthophotos, DSM/DTM, vector maps, 3D models, oblique imagery, and classified LiDAR point clouds—forms the foundation of Qatar’s National Digital Twin. It supports applications such as flood modeling, solar analysis, master planning, climate resilience, emergency preparedness, and infrastructure lifecycle management.
How the Qatar 3D City Model Enables Digital Twin Development
The Qatar 3D City Model leverages Esri’s ArcGIS platform to deliver immersive geospatial visualization and secure data access. Through ArcGIS Experience Builder and Oriented Imagery tools, users can explore cities across multiple levels of detail, while ArcGIS Enterprise ensures centralized access for more than 100 government entities.
The model includes over 43,000 LOD2 textured buildings and hundreds of LOD3 structures, delivered in Esri Geodatabase, CityGML, and Rhino formats. Complementary True Ortho and Oblique image services published on the CGIS web portal provide a centralized repository of authoritative geospatial content, supporting digital transformation and integrated urban planning.
Future Expansion of Qatar’s National 3D City Model
Government entities, academic institutions, and urban planners now benefit from high-resolution, interactive geospatial intelligence. The Qatar 3D City Model strengthens smart city planning, infrastructure coordination, and environmental analysis while enhancing CGIS’s in-house geospatial capabilities.
Future enhancements will integrate artificial intelligence, enable real-time scenario modeling, and support continuous updates of national vector datasets. K&A’s Digital Services team continues to support CGIS in acquiring coastal bathymetric LiDAR data to reinforce coastal resilience, optimize infrastructure planning, and advance environmental monitoring—solidifying Qatar’s position as a regional leader in geospatial innovation.