Faced with an uncertain future due to rising sea levels, Tuvalu has taken a significant step in its fight against climate change. As part of its pioneering effort to become a fully digital nation, Tuvalu is testing a new high-resolution mapping initiative which is a critical component of its digital transformation, cataloguing the nation's physical assets, including trees, houses, significant cultural sites and infrastructure.
In early 2024, the Pacific Community (SPC) and PLACE, in partnership with the Tuvalu Government, executed a data collection exercise in Funafuti that builds on the country's already immense data leadership globally to test new ways to get access to cost-effective and regularly updated datasets and make the best decisions for their future survival.
The work was done by a Data Trust called PLACE using drone and street camera technology to extensively map Tuvalu's capital atoll island of Funafuti in just a few weeks. This was possible after Tuvalu was the first Pacific Nation to sign a memorandum of understanding with PLACE at the 2023 United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) week in New York City.
Director Faatasi Malolonga, Department of Lands & Survey, explained that "Working in partnership with SPC and PLACE has helped the Land & Survey Office realise our vision for building a digital twin for Tuvalu. This is critical to supporting our response to the ever-increasing challenges to our nation from climate change and natural disasters. Using the powerful combination of AI and street and aerial imagery means that Tuvalu will be at the cutting edge of technology as we plan for the future".
PLACE began collecting aerial and street data in March with the Tuvalu Ministry of Lands and Survey Department. In April, PLACE delivered a processed true ortho image - a mosaic of all of the aerial photos captured consolidated into a single image - just a week after data completing data election. The accompanying PLACE Ground imagery, composing ground-level images captured from car, motorbike and backpack-mounted cameras, was delivered in July, following the de-identification of images through masking of faces and car number plates.
"SPC and the Lands and Survey Department of Tuvalu, through the Digital Earth Pacific programme, were partners at each phase of the process. We worked together to collect ground control points, manage data collection, engage with the community and ultimately process the data. The collaborative effort ensured the data could be utilised almost immediately and put to use for the people of Tuvalu." Said Frank Pichel, Partner, Global Field Operations - PLACE.
SPC played a vital role in coordinating with the Tuvalu Government. Surveyors from SPC and the Ministry of Lands and Survey Department established nearly 40 Ground Control Points (GCPs) across Fongafale and Amatuku, with UAV operations approved by the Civil Aviation Authority to ensure the data was accurate.
Dr Stuart Minchin, SPC's Director-General, explained: "We greatly appreciate Tuvalu's leadership in pioneering the innovative use of data to combat climate change. This initiative is a testament to their commitment to digital transformation and climate resilience and builds on their already extensive high-resolution datasets and global leadership on the need for this to inform the right climate adaptation solutions for future generations. We are proud to support Tuvalu in this significant step towards becoming a fully digital nation."
Data across more than 60 kilometres of street view was collected using various modes of transportation, which bolsters the country's existing datasets and supports bi-yearly data collection that ensures Tuvalu has the latest and most accurate data to make the best decisions in the future.