Introduction

The WebMapTileService (WMTS) allows users to display Vexcel’s Ortho imagery from multiple layers in third party applications such as ArcGIS, QGIS, Global Mapper, etc. This service is based on the WMTS protocol as developed and documented by the Open Geospatial Consortium (link in External Resources).

This service is similar to the GetOrthoImageTile service. While both return tiled imagery, WebMapTileService uses the standardized parameters (defined by the Open Geospatial Consortium) while GetOrthoImageTile uses custom parameters specific to Vexcel’s imagery.

Technical Details

The WebMapTileService is comprised of two operations:

GetCapabilities - Returns an XML document that outlines the available resources and requirements of the WMTS service.
GetTile - Returns individual imagery tiles that conform to the WMTS specifications.

Each tile contains the header object cache-control: max-age, set to 21515 seconds or roughly 6 hours. max-age can be used by the end client to reduce the number of times the same tile is downloaded within a single user session.

GetCapabilities Output Specifications:

xml file
service description
available layers
image/metadata formats
matrix sets (EPSG codes)
etc.

GetTile Output Specifications:

256x256 pixel tiles
24-bit depth
Variable resolution (layer dependent)
Image format: JPEG or PNG
Output format: Single image file

GetCapabilities

GetCapabilities Base URL:

This service will answer to requests on following URLs:

Ordered as http REST parameters (mandatory parameters only):
https://api.gic.org/wmts?token={token}
Base URL with parameters defined as Key Value Pairs
https://api.gic.org/wmts?request={request}&token={token}

GetCapabilities Parameters:

Parameter	Parameter Type	Data Type	Description	Example Format	Notes

Parameter	Parameter Type	Data Type	Description	Example Format	Notes
Mandatory:
`token`	Key Value Pair	string	The token used to authenticate the requests.	`token={token}`	Use the Authentication Token Service to receive a token.
Optional:
`request`	Ordered REST (1st) - or - Key Value Pair (KVP)	string	The type of request. To return `GetCapabilities` metadata this parameter should either be omitted or defined as `GetCapabilities`.	Ordered REST: `/GetCapabilities` KVP: `request=GetCapabilities`
`service`	Key Value Pair	string	Despite being a WMTS requirement, this parameter is ignored by Vexcel’s API.	- - - - -

GetCapabilities Example:

https://api.gic.org/wmts?request=GetCapabilities&token={token}

Parameter	Value

Parameter	Value
`request`	`GetCapabilities`
`token`	`{token}`

Success

An XML document with the service description, available layers, formats, styles, matrix sets, etc. Sample XML Snippet:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<Capabilities
    xmlns="http://www.opengis.net/wmts/1.0"
    xmlns:ows="http://www.opengis.net/ows/1.1"
    xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"
    xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
    xmlns:inspire_common="http://inspire.ec.europa.eu/schemas/common/1.0"
    xmlns:inspire_vs="http://inspire.ec.europa.eu/schemas/inspire_vs_ows11/1.0"
    version="1.0.0"
    xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.opengis.net/wmts/1.0
                            http://schemas.opengis.net/wmts/1.0/wmtsGetCapabilities_response.xsd
                            http://inspire.ec.europa.eu/schemas/inspire_vs_ows11/1.0
                            http://inspire.ec.europa.eu/schemas/inspire_vs_ows11/1.0/inspire_vs_ows_11.xsd">

    <ows:ServiceIdentification>
        <ows:Title>Vexcel Group WMTS</ows:Title>
        <ows:Abstract></ows:Abstract>
        <ows:Keywords>
            <ows:Keyword>Vexcel Group</ows:Keyword>
            <ows:Keyword>WMTS Service</ows:Keyword>
        </ows:Keywords>
        <ows:ServiceType>OGC WMTS</ows:ServiceType>
.
.
.

Error

A JSON with the error code and message.

GetTile

GetTile Base URL:

This service will answer to requests on following URL:

https://api.gic.org/wmts/GetTile/{layer}/{Style}/{TileMatrixSet}/{TileMatrix}/{TileRow}/{TileCol}?format=image/{format}&token={token}

GetTile Parameters:

Parameter (alias)	Parameter Type	Data Type	Description	Format	Notes

Parameter (alias)	Parameter Type	Data Type	Description	Format
Mandatory:
`request`	Ordered REST (1st)	string	The type of request. The parameter definition must be `GetTile`.	`/GetTile`
`layer`	Ordered REST (2nd)	string	The identifier of the image request's layer. It must be one of the layers defined in the `GetCapabilities` response.	`/bluesky-ultra-g`
`style`	Ordered REST (3rd)	string	The identifier of the image request's style. It must be one of the available styles defined in the `GetCapabilities` response for the requested layer.	`/default`
`tileMatrixSet`	Ordered REST (4th)	string	The identifier of the image's tile matrix set. It must be one of the available tile matrix sets defined in the `GetCapabilities` response for the requested layer.	`/EPSG_3857`
`tileMatrix`	Ordered REST (5th)	Integer	The identifier of the image's tile matrix. It must be one of the available tile matrices defined in the `GetCapabilities` response for the requested layer.	`/16`
`tileRow`	Ordered REST (6th)	Integer	The number of the image's row (y-axis).	`/24516`
`tileCol`	Ordered REST (7th)	Integer	The number of the image's column (x-axis).	`/15304`
`format`	Key Value Pair (KVP)	string	The format in which the image will be returned. It must be one of the available formats defined in the `GetCapabilities` response for the requested layer.	`format=jpeg`
`token (AuthToken)`	Key Value Pair	string	The token used to authenticate the requests.	`token={token}`

GetTile Example - Omaha Zoo, Omaha, Nebraska - Demonstrating all parameters:

https://api.gic.org/wmts/GetTile/bluesky-ultra-g/default/EPSG_3857/16/24516/15304?format=jpeg&token={token}

Parameter	Value

Parameter	Value
`request`	`GetTile`
`layer`	`bluesky-ultra-g`
`style`	`default`
`tileMatrixSet`	`EPSG_3857`
`tileMatrix`	`16`
`tileRow`	`24516`
`tileCol`	`15304`
`format`	`jpeg`
`token`	`{token}`

Success

vError

If format=image/jpeg: blank tile
If format=image/png: transparent tile

External Resources

Open Geospatial Consortium WMTS Implementation Standards: https://www.ogc.org/standards/wmts
Web Map Tile Service on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_Map_Tile_Service

Vexcel API Documentation

WebMapTileService (WMTS) - v1.4

Introduction

Technical Details

GetCapabilities

GetTile

See Also

External Resources