The 5G Campus and Private Mobile Network: ArcGIS Analysis and 3D-Visualization
The ArcGIS Analysis and 3D-Visualization for fictional 5G network planning is a Web Mapping Application that helps you locate ultimate spots for, as in this demo, new 5G Networks. In urban areas, there are limited locations available for implementation of new infrastructure, which makes it vital to be aware of your surroundings before planning a new network. In this post you will be guided through the application and see the possibilities with ArcGIS Analysis and 3D-Visualization for identifying a suitable location for implementation of a new 5G cell network. The demo for interaction with the application is found here.
What is Possible With ArcGIS Analysis and 3D-Visualization?
There are several tools that are useful with this 3D application. Terrain, viewshed, position of current towers such as traffic lights and cell towers, are features that can help you to find suitable locations for new infrastructure and to make you accommodated with the surrounding areas, both on street level and from above.
Current Landscape Features
The Analysis and 3D-Visualization can illustrate how and where the current fiber networks are distributed and how they are arranged in the specific site. This, together with the visualization of current buildings, terrain, and viewshed, you can set the criteria for where you should install your 5G mast.
With ArcGIS Network and 3D-Visualization, you can see where current underground networks are places, such as fiber (shown in photo). Listed in the legend (picture to the left) are a few of the features found in the demo.
Street Level View
Another great feature is the possibility to 'walk around’ on ground level to get a closer look of the site and its features. This tool allows you to visualize details of the existing building's structure, terrain, and also the vegetation and viewshed, which will be discussed further down. With the possibility to change bookmarks, you can also view in satellite photo for a more detailed and realistic experience.
The picture above illustrates the view from street level, where the building structure and height becomes apparent.
Viewshed Tool
Cities with varying topology can benefit from the viewshed tool in Analysis and 3D-Visualization application. With the viewshed tool, you can get an accurate picture of what features that are in line-of-sight from a specific viewpoint, and which obstacles that are in the way of a clear sight. In context with cell tower implementation, this solution makes it possible to avoid environmental impact of an area or if the visibility impacts the city's look negatively. The program offers viewshed for traffic lights, current cell towers, street lamps, and more.
The picture above shows the geographical area that is visible from The picture above shows the terrain in a specific area, a specific point, in this case a traffic light in the center of the picture. and where the nearby buildings are located.
Bookmarks
The use of different bookmarks let you decide which illustration that is optimal for your project. These bookmark include satellite images, focus on infrastructure, and viewshed from all available points in the same bookmark. Depending on your preference, you can view from satellite viewpoint to see the full areas viewshed from a certain point, or you can go into detail and see exact locations of features such as buildings and current cell towers. The seventh layer from left is designed for improvement of mobile network (campuses)..
There are also several base map alternatives, for example a base map with navigation focus, or one with focus on street networks.
Summary
The ArcGIS Analysis and 3D-Visualization helps you locate ultimate spots for new infrastructure
- There are several tools available for you to investigate the areas terrain, viewshed, and position of current towers such as traffic lights and cell towers
- The possibility to view the area on street level helps you to see it more detailed
- The terrain view illustrates the topology and gives you and accurate 3D-image, which is useful for the viewshed from different points of the area
- The bookmarks give you an option of focusing on details, or on the viewshed distribution from different points