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Import Digital Obstacle File (Aviation Tools)

Summary

Adds, deletes, and updates the obstacle point features in an input obstacle feature class using an input digital obstacle file (DOF).

A DOF provided by the FAA contains obstruction data for manufactured objects that affect domestic aeronautical charting or airport products. A DOF contains digital obstacle data within all FAA regions in addition to some areas of Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, the Bahamas, and the Pacific. A DOF does not purport to indicate the presence of all obstructions that may be encountered during flight.

Usage

  • The Input Digital Obstacle File parameter must reference a DOF with the .DAT file extension.

  • The Target Obstacle Features parameter value must be a point feature class containing obstacle features from an airport or charting geodatabase. For example, the Esri Airports schema provided in the ArcGIS Aviation Airports product files contains the Obstacles feature class that can be updated using this tool.

  • The tool will include a message detailing the number of features that were added, modified, or deleted.

  • The tool can be customized using a JSON configuration file in the ArcGIS Pro installation location Resources\Aviation directory. The DOFConfig.json file allows you to change how this tool processes a DOF. A custom configuration file allows for future changes to the FAA DOF specification or to the obstacle feature class schemas. In the absence of a configuration file, this tool will use its default configuration information.

    Note:

    When processing a DOF, the above mean sea level height value is written to the elevation field (Elev_Val or Elev). The above ground level height value is written to the height field (Height_Val or Height). The ASML elevation of the base of an obstacle can be determined by subtracting the Height_Val field value from the Elev_Val field value after import.

  • If the tool identifies one or more text fields in the Target Obstacle Features parameter value that are too short for the imported data, the tool will truncate the imported text data. The tool messages will include a warning message detailing the fields that were truncated.

Parameters

Label Explanation Data type

Input Digital Obstacle File

A DOF with a .DAT file extension. The contents of the DOF will be used to update the Target Obstacle Features parameter values.

File

Target Obstacle Features

The point feature class that will contain obstacle information from the DOF after the tool is run.

Feature Layer

Derived output

Label Explanation Data type

Updated Obstacle Features

The updated point feature class containing obstacle information from the DOF.

Note:

The Updated Obstacle Features parameter and the Target Obstacle Features parameter refer to the same feature class.

Feature Layer

Environments

This tool does not use any geoprocessing environments.

Licensing information

  • Basic: No
  • Standard: Requires Airports or ArcGIS Aviation Charting
  • Advanced: Requires Airports or ArcGIS Aviation Charting