Blackpool Pleasure Beach, pictured, has been mapped in 3D by Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service (LFRS), with the mappers of the Exeter-based Ordnance Survey (OS) and the Lancashire Local Resilience Forum (LRF). The 3D model is for emergency planning purposes, bringing realism and a shared operating picture that a 2D map simply cannot.
Kevin Topping, Chair of the LRF Lancashire Emergency Response Plan Sub Group, said: โAlthough we have always utilised GIS data to produce static maps, the use of newer technology and applications opened up the possibility of assessing how drones could bring a new sense of realism to planning, response and recovery. This initial example, supported by Ordnance Survey, has enabled us to build on our experience and widen the scope to more sites now and in the future, both in peacetime and during a response.โ
And Tim Murrell, Drone Manager at LFRS, and the Drone & Robotics Lead at the National Fire Chiefs Council, said: “Whilst we have been operating drones for ten years, the complexity of the site allowed us to develop our techniques in a more challenging environment. The expertise in UAS mapping operations provided by Ordnance Survey was pivotal in allowing us to safely and effectively map the site. The drone flights and subsequent 3D mesh generation has allowed us to better support our LRF colleagues with highly detailed mapping of a complex site. We are better prepared for potential incidents and scenario training, and can provide aย highly visual platform for shared situational awareness.”
OS 3D mapping has been used by in real incidents. Devon and Cornwall Police was assisted by OS geospatial staff for a major evacuation in Plymouth; and the Isle of Wight Council was supported after a landslip.
About OS 3D Mesh
It’s a photorealistic, ready-to-use 3D basemap derived from imagery collected for the OS National Geographic Database(NGD). It can be used within Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Computer Aided Design (CAD) tools, or specialist 3D modelling software to provide a detailed 3D view of any area of interest. The product has been developed to enable the immersive visualisation of a specific area and for analysis whether for urban planning, telecoms modelling, security and flood risk assessment, or emergency planning. Visit https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/products/os-3d-mesh.
OS recently hailed its release of 16 data collections and 70 major data enhancements into the OS NGD, such asย coverage of bus and cycle lanes, supporting local and central government in promoting Active Travel, and for public safety;ย to make the richest map of Britain ever created.
See also the June 2026 edition of Professional Security Magazine.
A YouTube video shows OS 3D Mesh and Lancashire Fire and Rescue mesh combined – https://youtu.be/9QogxkfN10s. Pictured courtesy of OS, a still from the video.
