Using International Standards to Control the Positional Quality of Spatial Data

Abstract

A positional quality control method based on the application of the International Standard ISO 2859 is proposed. This entails a common framework for dealing with the control of all other spatial data quality components (e.g., completeness, consistency, etc.). We propose a relationship between the parameters “acceptable quality level” and “limiting quality” of the international standard and positional quality by means of observed error models. This proposal does not require any assumption for positional errors (e.g., normality), which means that the application is universal. It can be applied to any type of positional and geometric controls (points, line-strings), to any dimension (1D, 2D, 3D, etc.) and with parametric or non-parametric error models (e.g., lidar). This paper introduces ISO 2859, presents the statistical bases of the proposal and develops two examples of application, the first dealing with a lot-by-lot control and the second, isolated lot control.