DTED
Digital Terrain Elevation Data (DTED) is a standardized digital dataset format consisting of a uniform matrix of terrain elevation values, designed to provide quantitative information on elevation, slope, and surface roughness for geospatial applications.[1][2] Developed by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), DTED serves primarily as a foundational resource for military systems involved in mission planning, flight simulation, and terrain analysis, though portions have been made publicly available through initiatives like the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM).[3][4] DTED data is organized into levels based on resolution, with each level corresponding to different post spacings for varying scales of use: Level 0 offers coarse resolution at 30 arc-seconds (approximately 1 km), suitable for small-scale overviews; Level 1 provides medium resolution at 3 arc-seconds (about 100 m), for general operational needs; and Level 2 delivers higher detail at 1 arc-second (roughly 30 m), supporting large-scale tactical applications.[1][2] The format uses a tiled structure, typically in 1-degree latitude by 1-degree longitude cells, ensuring compatibility with global coverage and integration into geographic information systems (GIS).[3] Originally classified for Department of Defense (DoD) use, DTED has evolved to include declassified datasets that contribute to civilian earth science research, hydrology, and environmental modeling.[4]Background
Definition
DTED, or Digital Terrain Elevation Data, is a standardized dataset consisting of a uniform matrix of terrain elevation values sampled at regular intervals along lines of latitude and longitude. This format provides a digital representation of the Earth's surface suitable for computational analysis in geospatial applications.[1] The elevation values in DTED depict a bare earth model, capturing the height of the terrain surface while excluding vegetation, man-made structures, and other cultural features to focus on the underlying topography. These heights are referenced to mean sea level (MSL) using the Earth Gravitational Model 1996 (EGM96) geoid, which approximates the equipotential surface of the Earth's gravity field, rather than the WGS84 ellipsoid.[5][1] Developed by the U.S. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA, formerly known as the National Imagery and Mapping Agency or NIMA, and originally the Defense Mapping Agency or DMA), DTED serves as a foundational standard for elevation data production and dissemination. The data is structured in 1° × 1° geographic tiles, organized into latitude bands spanning from 50°S to 50°N (for lower resolutions) or broader extents, and longitude zones from 180°W to 179°E, enabling global coverage where available.[5][1] DTED supplies essential quantitative terrain information, including elevation, slope, and gross surface configuration, to support systems in military, navigation, and simulation contexts that rely on accurate topographic modeling. It is available in multiple resolution levels to balance detail and coverage needs.[1]Historical Development
The Digital Terrain Elevation Data (DTED) standard originated in the early 1970s, developed by the U.S. Defense Mapping Agency (DMA) primarily to support aircraft radar simulation and prediction through standardized terrain elevation matrices.https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/tr/pdf/ADA187978.pdf[6] Initial production of DTED began in 1972, with Level 1 established as the first standardized resolution level, providing 3 arc-seconds (approximately 100 m) spacing for military applications.https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/tr/pdf/ADA202755.pdf In 1996, DTED Level 0 was introduced at 30 arc-seconds (approximately 1 km) resolution to support broader, small-scale topographic needs.[7] In 1996, the DMA transitioned into the National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA), which continued DTED production and refinement under a unified intelligence framework.https://www.nga.mil/about/About_Us.html This agency was redesignated as the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) in 2003, marking a shift toward integrating geospatial intelligence with broader defense needs while maintaining DTED as a core standard.https://www.nga.mil/about/About_Us.html A major milestone occurred with the integration of data from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) in 2000–2001, which supplied near-global coverage and enabled the generation of DTED Level 1 datasets at 3 arc-seconds and Level 2 datasets at 1 arc-second resolutions, covering latitudes from 56°S to 60°N.https://earth-info.nga.mil/index.php?dir=elevation&action=elevation[8] Subsequent expansion to global datasets came through international collaborations, such as the WorldDEM project (2014–2016), which utilized TanDEM-X satellite data to produce higher-resolution elevation models aligned with DTED specifications, achieving approximately 12-meter posting for improved accuracy worldwide.https://www.airbus.com/en/newsroom/news/2016-10-worlddem-now-available-worldwide-first-truly-global-elevation-dataset[9] As of 2025, recent developments include the preliminary adoption of DTED Level 3 for select regions, offering ~10–12 meter resolution to support advanced simulation and analysis, with ongoing NGA efforts toward a global 2-meter model by year's end.https://earth-info.nga.mil/index.php?dir=elevation&action=elevation[10]Technical Specifications
Resolution Levels
DTED is standardized into multiple resolution levels, each defined by specific post spacings in arc-seconds, which translate to varying ground distances depending on latitude due to the Earth's curvature. These levels provide progressively finer terrain detail for different scales of analysis, with nominal resolutions approximating equatorial distances. Horizontal post spacings are uniform in angular measure but result in denser sampling near the equator (e.g., 1 arc-second ≈ 30 meters) and sparser coverage at higher latitudes (e.g., ≈ 111 meters per degree of latitude at the poles). Vertical accuracies are specified as absolute (relative to mean sea level) and relative (point-to-point) errors at 90% confidence levels.[1] Level 0 offers the coarsest resolution, with a post spacing of 30 arc-seconds, corresponding to a nominal resolution of approximately 1 kilometer. This level supports small-scale global overviews, such as basic terrain elevation, slope, and surface roughness for strategic planning and hardcopy products. Horizontal accuracy is not independently specified but inherits coarser tolerances from higher levels, while vertical accuracy remains undefined in primary specifications, often derived from aggregated Level 1 data. Intended for general military weapon and training systems at broad scales, Level 0 enables efficient worldwide coverage without high detail demands.[1] Level 1 provides medium resolution at 3 arc-seconds post spacing, yielding a nominal ≈100-meter resolution suitable for regional analyses. Global coverage for this level between approximately 56°S and 60°N is largely derived from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM), filling extensive voids in legacy datasets. It achieves horizontal accuracy of ≤130 meters (90% circular error)[11] and vertical accuracy of ≤30 meters absolute (90% linear error) or ≤20 meters relative over a 1° cell. This level is designed for medium-scale military applications, including weapon systems simulation and terrain profiling where moderate detail suffices.[1] Level 2 advances to high resolution with 1 arc-second post spacing, offering a nominal ≈30-meter resolution for detailed terrain modeling. Much of the global dataset at this level also stems from SRTM processing, enabling precise elevation matrices for advanced simulations. Specifications include horizontal accuracy of ≤23 meters (90% circular error), absolute vertical accuracy of ≤18 meters (90% linear error), and relative vertical accuracy of ≤12 meters in low-to-medium relief areas or ≤15 meters in high-relief terrain over a 1° cell. Primarily used for large-scale military operations, such as targeting and navigation requiring fine-scale topographic features.[1] Level 3 represents an emerging higher-resolution tier, with post spacing of approximately 0.4 arc-seconds, achieving a nominal resolution of 10-12 meters for ultra-detailed applications. As of 2025, availability is limited to high-priority areas, often produced through advanced sensor integrations beyond standard SRTM coverage. Specific accuracy metrics for Level 3 are not yet fully standardized in public specifications, though they build on Level 2 tolerances with expectations of sub-10-meter vertical precision in select regions. This level targets specialized military and defense needs, such as hyper-local terrain analysis in contested environments.[1]| Level | Post Spacing (arc-seconds) | Nominal Resolution (meters) | Horizontal Accuracy (90% CE, meters) | Absolute Vertical Accuracy (90% LE, meters) | Primary Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 30 | ~1,000 | Not specified | Not specified | Global overviews, basic planning |
| 1 | 3 | ~100 | ≤130 | ≤30 | Medium-scale military systems |
| 2 | 1 | ~30 | ≤23 | ≤18 | Detailed terrain analysis |
| 3 | ~0.4 | ~10-12 | Not specified | Not specified (expected <10) | High-priority, ultra-detailed areas |