3d Gis: Current Status and Perspectives

Currently, variety of software is already capable of handling a wide range of spatial problems, beginning with approaches for describing spatial objects to quite complex analysis and 3D visualisation. However, increasing number of applications need more advanced tools for representing and analysing the 3D world. Among all types of systems dealing with spatial information, GIS has proven to be the most sophisticated system that operates with the largest scope of objects (spatial and semantic), relationships and provide means to analyse them. However, what is the status of the 3D GIS? It is the aim of this paper to find the answer by analysing both software available and efforts of researchers. An overview of several commercial systems and a 3D case study performed in Oracle and Microstation provides knowledge about the 3D functionality offered by commercial systems. The most significant achievements in the 3D research area concerning key issues of 3D GIS, i.e. 3D structuring and 3D topology portray the current research status. At the end, the paper addresses some of the issues and problems involved in developing such a system and recommends directions for further research. The scope of the paper is limited to 3D GIS systems and research in vector domain. Problems of subsurface applications are excluded as well.