Positional Accuracy Assessment for Updating Authoritative Geospatial Datasets Based on Open Source Data and Remotely Sensed Images

Abstract

OpenStreetMap (OSM) represents the most common example of online volunteered mapping applications. Most of these platforms are open source spatial data collected by non-experts volunteers using different data collection methods. OSM project aims to provide a free digital map for all the world. The heterogeneity in data collection methods made OSM project databases accuracy is unreliable and must be dealt with caution for any engineering application. This study aims to assess the horizontal positional accuracy of three spatial data sources are OSM road network database, high-resolution Satellite Image (SI), and high-resolution Aerial Photo (AP) of Baghdad city with respect to an analogue formal road network dataset obtained from the Mayoralty of Baghdad (MB). The methodology of, U.S. National Standard Spatial Data Accuracy (NSSDA) was applied to measure the degree of agreement between each data source and the formal dataset (MB) in terms of horizontal positional accuracy by computing RMSE and NSSDA values. The study concluded that each of the three data sources does not agree with the MB dataset in both study sites AL-Aadhamiyah and AL-Kadhumiyah in terms of positional accuracy.