Introduction to Global Enhanced GEOINT Delivery (G-EGD) with ArcGIS

G-EGD provides access to products contained in Maxar's online catalogs (imagery, imagery products, and imagery metadata) over the Internet via services that are compliant with Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) standards.

The OGC is a non-profit, international, voluntary consensus standards organization that is leading the development of standards for geospatial and location-based services.

The G-EGD services you can import into ArcGIS are Web Map Service (WMS) and Web Map Tile Service (WMTS), which each contain several imagery and footprint layers; if you need to download data, you can use Web Coverage Service (WCS) via Maxar's ImageConnect add-on for ArcMap (see WCS).

Maxar's ImageConnect plug-in for ArcMap provides a much more robust experience for working with Maxar imagery, including filtering. If you are able to download and install a plug-in in your environment, we recommend using ImageConnect rather than connecting with G-EGD directly. Download the ImageConnect plug-in from https://evwhs.digitalglobe.com, and view its user guide at ImageConnect User Guide for G-EGD.

WMS

WMS provides map images and associated product metadata for the layers that comprise the online imagery catalogs; accessible layers are determined by your account subscription access.

WMS limits the rendering of imagery to requests at zoom level 13 and higher, which corresponds to about 1:144,000 map scale. In most cases the newest images are on top, but your account stacking profile might layer the images differently. For information on stacking profiles, see Applying a Stacking Profile.

WMS and WMTS are based on Mercator projection zoom levels similar to Google Maps and Bing Maps. These zoom levels correspond only roughly with map scale in ArcGIS, which varies according to the projection you are using, your monitor resolution, and many other factors; the approximate map scales included in this document are for general reference when using a 96dpi monitor. Your configuration may vary.

The associated metadata/footprints layers display imagery footprints and acquisition dates, generally in solid blocks at lower zoom levels and as footprints at higher zoom levels. Footprints in some layers are color coded by age (<7 days, 7-30 days, and >30 days) with the newest images on top. Use the Identify tool to get full metadata for a footprint.

Available WMS layers include:

  • DigitalGlobe:Imagery/DigitalGlobe:ImageryFootprint Contains all imagery to which your account has access, including any other layers listed below. Also includes the "daily take," which comprises all image strips collected by Maxar that meet the following specifications:

    • Cloud Cover 50% equatorial, 35% outside equatorial, or as NGA-directed.

    • Off-Nadir Angle 0-30 degrees.

    Use this layer to discover images without regard to product type or composition.

  • DigitalGlobe:NGAOtherProducts/DigitalGlobe:NGAOtherProductsMetadata Contains Rapid Response Orthomosaic (RRO) products; use this layer to find RRO products only. RRO products are ordered by NGA for specific, time-sensitive projects, but may be useful in other contexts.
  • DigitalGlobe:ImageStrip/DigitalGlobe:ImageStripMetadata Contains NGA-tasked image strips. The metadata layers shows footprints color coded by age (<7 days, 7-30 days, and >30 days) with the newest images on top. Use this layer to find most recent image strips that may not meet the specifications for other layers.
  • DigitalGlobe:FoundationGEOINT/DigitalGlobe:FoundationGEOINTMetadata Contains 1/4-degree and 1-degree geocell orthomosaics as well as RRO products.
  • RPM Change Detection A vector dataset produced by MDA under contract to the NGA that depicts annual changes that were detected based on 30-meter Landsat imagery.
  • DigitalGlobe:ImageInMosaicFootprint Shows the seamlines and acquisition dates for the images that make up the orthomosaics contained in any other layer.

WMTS

WMTS provides cached Map Tiles at multiple levels of resolution; accessible layers are determined by your account subscription access. WMTS layers mimic WMS imagery layers, but serve the imagery as tiles for faster rendering. Like WMS, WMTS limits the rendering of high resolution imagery to requests at zoom level 13 and higher but, depending on your user profile, you may see landsat imagery at lower zoom levels.

WCS

WCS provides downloadable products; each product in the online finished product catalogs constitutes a separate Coverage. To use WCS with ArcGIS, use the ImageConnect plugin available from https://evwhs.digitalglobe.com.