Tuvalu is testing a new high-resolution mapping initiative as part of its plan to create a digital twin of the entire Pacific island nation, cataloguing it’s physical assets, including trees, houses, significant cultural sites and infrastructure.
In early 2024, the Pacific Community (SPC) and PLACE, in partnership with the Tuvalu Government, undertook a data collection exercise in Funafuti to test new ways to cost-effectively and regularly update the kind of datasets needed for the country make the best decisions for its survival in the face of rising sea levels.
PLACE used drone and street camera technology to extensively map Tuvalu’s capital atoll island of Funafuti in just a few weeks. Tuvalu had become the first Pacific Nation to sign a memorandum of understanding with PLACE at the 2023 United Nations General Assembly.
“Working in partnership with SPC and PLACE has helped the Land & Survey Office realise our vision for building a digital twin for Tuvalu,” said Director Faatasi Malolonga of the Tuvalu Department of Lands & Survey.
“This is critical to supporting our response to the ever-increasing challenges to our nation from climate change and natural disasters.
“Using the powerful combination of AI and street and aerial imagery means that Tuvalu will be at the cutting edge of technology as we plan for the future”.
PLACE began collecting aerial and street data in March along with personnel from the Tuvalu Ministry of Lands and Survey Department.
In April, PLACE delivered a processed true ortho image — a mosaic of all of the aerial photos captured consolidated into a single image — just one week after completing data election.
The accompanying PLACE ground imagery, composing ground-level images captured from car-, motorbike- and backpack-mounted cameras, was delivered in July, following the de-identification of images through masking of faces and car number plates.
“SPC and the Lands and Survey Department of Tuvalu, through the Digital Earth Pacific programme, were partners at each phase of the process,” said Frank Pichel, Partner, Global Field Operations – PLACE.
“We worked together to collect ground control points, manage data collection, engage with the community and ultimately process the data. The collaborative effort ensured the data could be utilised almost immediately and put to use for the people of Tuvalu.”
Surveyors from SPC and Lands and Survey established nearly 40 ground control points across Fongafale and Amatuku, with UAV operations approved by the Civil Aviation Authority to ensure the data was accurate.
“We greatly appreciate Tuvalu’s leadership in pioneering the innovative use of data to combat climate change,” said Dr Stuart Minchin, SPC’s Director-General.
“This initiative is a testament to their commitment to digital transformation and climate resilience and builds on their already extensive high-resolution datasets and global leadership on the need for this to inform the right climate adaptation solutions for future generations.”
“This collaboration enables us to use the collected data to tackle climate change challenges, such as assessing the impact of rising sea levels,” added Sapolu Tetoa, Mineral Officer at the Lands & Survey Department of Tuvalu.
