Remapping the world in 3D

During the past few years, we have witnessed the explosive growth in demand for three-dimensional geospatial data and the popularization of related applications has reached levels never before imaged. Arguably, the major catalysts behind the increasing interest in geospatial information by the general public have been Internet search engines like Google, which places integrated maps into its results, and satellite imagery-based mapping software such as Google Earth and Microsoft Virtual Earth, which offer users a three-dimensional experience.