Absolute Vertical Accuracy of ArcticDEM and Copernicus DEM and In-Situ GNSS Measurements

This paper discusses the vertical accuracy of digital elevation models (DEMs) along public roads for three modern global DEMs. Validation is performed with in-situ Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) measurements. Due to the fact that the specifications of these DEMs indicate very high absolute vertical accuracy (up to 4 meters at best), the verification was performed without registering the DEMs to local ground control points. The study highlights that these DEMs can be used in a variety of applications without the need for mandatory local registration.