NSDI | 2035 Strategic Plan | Use Cases

Use Cases

By 2035, a matured and sustainable NSDI will serve a wider range of land, water, and space use cases across various sectors and disciplines that share and reuse data and services. As the NSDI advances, and new users engage and contribute, the number of use cases will expand.  While new use cases will continue to emerge and some will decrease in importance, the NSDI will need to be able to support a broad range of applications. Achieving this strategic plan’s objectives will improve service delivery and create opportunities for innovation in communities and businesses in current and evolving application areas, including the following:

• Disaster response and management: The NSDI integrates real-time satellite imagery, situational data services (for example, traffic condition or road closures), drone data, and on-ground, on-water, and within atmosphere sensors for resiliency and sustainability planning, disaster response and management, and public safety and emergency response. By providing instant updates during disasters, emergency responders can access accurate maps that highlight affected areas, thus helping to efficiently allocate response and recovery resources and plan evacuation routes effectively. Geospatial sensors and data are used to provide earthquake early warning, predict and track flooding, monitor volcanic activity, sense tsunamis, identify potential and active landslide areas, and support search and rescue missions.
• Smart cities development: The NSDI facilitates the development of smart cities by integrating data from various sources, such as IoT devices, urban sensors, and citizen feedback. City planners use these comprehensive data to optimize infrastructure, lighting, and water usage; manage traffic flow; and enhance public services, such as waste management, emergency response, and recreation. 
• Precision agriculture: The NSDI enables precision agriculture by providing farmers with detailed maps of soil composition, moisture levels, crop health, and other data. By integrating satellite imagery and IoT sensor data, farmers can make data-driven decisions, optimize resource usage, and increase crop yields while minimizing environmental impact. 
• Healthcare planning and response: The NSDI aids healthcare planning and response by mapping population demographics, healthcare facilities, and disease and pandemic outbreaks. Health authorities and governments use this information to identify high-risk areas, allocate resources, provide healthcare services availability information to citizens, and implement targeted interventions in real time, ultimately improving public health outcomes. Geospatial information supports epidemiological research, disease surveillance, water quality and quantity monitoring, and healthcare resource allocation, particularly during public health emergencies. 
• Autonomous transportation: The NSDI supports the development of autonomous transportation systems (for example, autonomous vehicles and drones) by providing high-resolution maps enriched with real-time traffic data, road conditions, and infrastructure updates. Autonomous vehicles use these maps to navigate safely and efficiently, thus reducing crashes and congestion while enhancing mobility for all. Uncrewed aerial systems (UASs), or drones, perform high-risk tasks, such as powerline inspections, monitoring of cliff-side habitats, or high-resolution aerial mapping for infrastructure projects with reduced cost, environmental impact, and risk to human life or health. 
• Supply chain optimization: The NSDI optimizes supply chain management by providing real-time visibility into multimodal transportation routes, transportation hubs, warehouse locations, inventory levels, and weather conditions. Companies use this information to streamline logistics, reduce transportation costs, and improve delivery efficiency, thus leading to faster and more reliable product distribution. 
• Digital twins: The NSDI enables the development of highly detailed digital twins for the natural and built environments.  Examples include digital twins of infrastructure (for example, buildings, bridges, roads, and utility networks) and the environment (for example, rivers and forests). These digital twins are virtual replicas that mirror the physical world in real-time, integrating data from IoT sensors, satellite imagery, and maintenance records and enabling real-time monitoring and predictive maintenance. 
• Scientific research and monitoring: The NSDI enables scientists to monitor real-time land use, track changes in land cover, assess biodiversity, and manage natural resources. Geospatial information supports habitat and watershed management, and climate resilience. 
• Public and commercial development: The NSDI supports public and commercial  development by providing access to geospatial data and advanced analytics tools to design, build, and maintain infrastructure, including transportation networks, roads and bridges, solar and wind farms, environmental restoration projects, ports,  subdivisions, commercial developments, public buildings, and parks. From technical engineering tools, such as computer-aided design (CAD); to location, spatial analysis, and mapping tools, such as geographic information systems (GIS); to building information modeling (BIM) systems for space modeling and management, the NSDI connects spatial technologies used throughout the project stages, including the design, build, and operate stages. 
• Infrastructure management: The NSDI is used by civil engineers and infrastructure managers to design, maintain, and upgrade transportation networks, utilities, and public facilities. Geospatial data aid in asset inventory, condition assessment, maintenance scheduling, and infrastructure planning to ensure the reliability and resilience of critical infrastructure systems. It provides visibility into unseen areas (such as underground utility locations), and geologic information (such as for assessing building suitability, mapping mineral deposits, and evaluating underwater natural and humanmade infrastructure). 
• Natural resource management: NSDI data are used by foresters, agriculturists, and land managers to monitor land productivity; assess soil erosion; optimize resource allocation for forestry, agriculture, and mining activities; and protect natural resources. Geospatial information aids in land-use planning, conservation planning, and sustainable resource management practices. 
• Business intelligence and market analysis: The NSDI enhances business intelligence and market analysis, thus improving the ability of companies to make informed decisions, optimize expansion strategies, and maximize return on investment in a dynamic and competitive marketplace. Geospatial information provides insights into consumer behavior, market trends, and market analysis. 
• Next generation 9-1-1: As envisioned, the NSDI of 2035 will enhance emergency response by enabling precise caller location tracking, even indoors or in remote areas, and providing first responders with real-time geospatial data on traffic conditions, building layouts, and nearby hazards. This capability will facilitate faster and more effective emergency response, potentially saving lives. 
• Recreation: The NSDI provides location-based information on access, trails, and water levels; and on hiking, hunting, fishing, boating, biking, and camp sites, thus helping to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all outdoor enthusiasts.  By integrating diverse geospatial datasets and leveraging advanced technologies, the NSDI provides citizens with the information and tools they need to make informed decisions about outdoor recreation, and helps promote safety, environmental stewardship, and enjoyment of the Nation’s natural resources. 
• Commercial shipping and transshipment of cargo: Merchant shipping entering U.S. ports underpins a great deal of the U.S. economy. These ships must safely navigate over shoals, under bridges, and past other shipping vessels and facilities to arrive alongside a pier on time. The cargo must be offloaded to precise locations to ensure that it can be onloaded to trains and trucks for further delivery throughout the country. Ensuring that all these elements are integrated into a seamless whole is key to safety of life and property while ensuring maximum efficiency and profitability. 

These use case examples, although not exhaustive, demonstrate the breadth and diversity of the potential impacts that the successful implementation of this NSDI strategic plan will have. Every use case of the NSDI is entwined with the activities and needs of multiple government agencies, businesses, nongovernmental organizations, and communities and will result in shared outcomes and successes.