Leicestershire, 14 July 2015 – Following an agreement between aerial mapping company Bluesky and hazard mapping specialists JBA Risk Management, visitors to www.blueskymapshop.com can now view and download a high resolution flood map for the whole of the UK. Detailing peril from six different types of flooding, the Comprehensive Flood Map (CFM) is a leading tool for flood insurance underwriters and is used by over 70 percent of the UK insurance industry. Bluesky will also be able to supply the data for offline sales to their client base, including Local Authority planners, property developers, emergency responders and environmental consultants.
“The winter of 2013-14 was the wettest winter on record, and it is estimated that insurers paid out over £446 million in claims to customers whose homes, businesses and vehicles were flooded – the equivalent of £6.7 million per day!” commented Bluesky’s Managing Director Rachel Tidmarsh. “By making high resolution flood map data easily and affordably available through our online Mapshop, we can arm those who prepare for and manage flood events with continuous and detailed information on which to base critical decisions.”
“The addition of the Comprehensive Flood Map to Bluesky’s online Mapshop is an important development for anyone with an interest in predicting, preventing or managing flooding in the UK,” added Jill Boulton, Director at JBA Risk Management. “The combination of the CFM with data already online, such as aerial photography and Ordnance Survey mapping, makes the Bluesky Mapshop a one stop shop for flood assessment data.”
The CFM is a highly detailed flood map. At 5 metre resolution it covers six flood perils – river, coastal (including wave overtopping), surface water, groundwater, canal failure and dam break, in Great Britain. Now in its seventh year, the CFM has benefited from several years of updates, use, feedback and validation against actual flood claims. The CFM has been modelled in JFlow, JBA’s proprietary and highly acclaimed flood modelling software, which reached the 2012 finals of the Royal Academy of Engineering’s most prestigious award for engineering innovation, the MacRobert Award.
The CFM is now available to view and purchase online at www.blueskymap.com. The Bluesky Mapshop also offers complete nationwide coverage of aerial photography with multiple ages available for every location. Visitors can also select 3D data including Digital Terrain and Surface Models (DTM / DSM) for all of England and Wales, and more accurate LiDAR data for most areas. Thermal Mapping is available for selected areas, and the National Tree Map data now covers all of England and Wales and is available for instant download.
About Bluesky
Bluesky is a UK-based specialist in aerial survey including aerial photography, LiDAR and thermal data using the very latest survey technology, including two UltraCam Eagles and an Orion M300 LiDAR system. An internationally recognised leader with projects extending around the globe, Bluesky is proud to work with prestigious organisations such as Google, the BBC and Government Agencies. Bluesky has unrivalled expertise in the creation of seamless, digital aerial photography and maintains national “off the shelf” coverage of aerial photography, DTM and DSM through an on-going 3 year update programme. By purchasing a World first sensor for the simultaneous capture of LiDAR, Thermal and Aerial Photography data Bluesky is in the enviable position of being able to provide customers with unique and cost effective solutions. Bluesky is also leading the way in developing innovative solutions for environmental applications including the UK’s first National Tree Map (NTM), solar mapping and citywide ‘heat loss’ maps and is currently developing noise and air quality mapping products. www.bluesky-world.com
About JBA
JBA Risk Management is a leading provider of natural hazard modelling services for insurers, reinsurers, and property or asset managers. JBA people are experts in their field and have great ideas which they deliver through exceptional technical expertise. JBA Risk Management provides security through knowledge, helping clients to understand and manage risks from natural hazards. Visit www.jbarisk.com and follow us on Twitter @jbarisk