TITLE:
Reconciling the Difference between Global and Flat-Earth Perspectives for Spatial Data
AUTHORS:
Earl F. Burkholder
KEYWORDS:
Spatial/Geospatial Data, Plane Surveying, Geodetic Surveying, Electronic Distance Measurement (EDM), Conformal Mapping, Low-Distortion Projections (LDPs), Earth-Centered Earth-Fixed (ECEF), Distance Distortion, Global Spatial Data Model (GSDM)
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Geographic Information System,
Vol.18 No.5,
September
18,
2026
ABSTRACT: As science matures, over-arching concepts emerge that simplify the subject. Such simplification fosters increased efficiency and practicality. Regarding spatial data, rules of solid geometry are long-standing and used in many applications. A consequence of the digital revolution is that procedures for working with flat-Earth spatial data need to be reconciled with higher-level geodetic applications of geospatial data. A simple model embodies flat-Earth assumptions while more rigorous mathematical expressions are needed to represent location with respect to the ellipsoidal Earth. The 3D global spatial data model (GSDM) is an over-arching concept which reconciles those perspectives by utilizing 3D space for computations. The GSDM is a practical solution which serves the needs of flat-Earth spatial data end users without sacrificing the rigor of geospatial data.