Converting a TIFF to GRID

Question

I'm curious to learn if it's possible to convert a TIFF (i.e. an orthophoto or satellite image) into ESRI GRID format?  What I would like to perhaps try and do is overlay the resulting image GRID file with an elevation GRID data set, and then create a DTM from the orthophoto-GRID/elevation overlay?

Is this possible?

Thanks

MarkHotz · Answer

This is a purely a visual exercise, but I want to experiment with a correctly georeferenced GRID ortho.  I have created DTM's from converted USGS DEM data (into GRID) in the past, and then created some pretty impressive hillshades from those. However, I have never had much success just draping an orthophoto over a hillshade and always thought that creating a hillshade type DTM directly from the orthophoto would be best...except the photo usually doesn't come with required embedded elevation data (like the original DEM file) to be able to model elevation.  So I am just considering converting the TIFF into GRID, which will then allow me to add the elevation data to the new GRID by employing a raster overlay (i.e. by adding the elevation data to each pixel), and then creating a new DTM using just the new photo image by itself.

It's really more of an experiment to see if it can be done...and if not, then it's one more lesson learned :-).

However, I will experiment with your suggestion first to see how well it works with ArcGIS 10.3.

Thanks

DarrenWiens2 · Answer

My point is that a TIFF will drape just as good as a GRID, so conversion should not be your main focus.

In any case, I'm curious what you hope to achieve with this overlay? Is it just a visual thing? You can symbolize your imagery to be partially transparent overtop of a hillshade layer (created from your DEM). I'm not sure what you can do with imagery somehow fused to elevation in a single raster.

MarkHotz · Answer

Thanks Darren.  To be honest I have never tried this before...I just assumed that the overlay required elevation data to be properly draped over a DTM.  I will experiment with this further to see what it can do.

If I can't get it to work I can always revert to creating a GRID DTM using the photo etc.  It sounds like I have multiple options.

Helpful suggestions here for sure....thank you.