Upper Austria Upgrades DORIS: A New Era for Digital Spatial Information
Upper Austria is transforming its approach to geospatial data with a significant software overhaul of its central geo-information platform, the Digitale Rauminformationssystem, commonly known as DORIS. The update focuses on increasing system speed, improving user experience, and drastically reducing operational costs for the state.
Efficiency and Cost Reduction
The transition to new software is a strategic move to eliminate expensive license fees, which has directly lowered maintenance costs for the province. According to Markus Beyer, the Head of Geoinformation for the state of Upper Austria, this software is now utilized across all Austrian federal states with the exception of Vienna, allowing for a more standardized and cost-effective approach to spatial data management.
Beyond the financial benefits, the upgrade provides a more intuitive interface, offering users greater clarity and faster access to critical geographical information. This efficiency is particularly evident in the representation of traffic data, a feature praised by Günther Steinkellner, the Landesrat for Infrastructure (FPÖ), for its utility in future urban and regional planning.
Enhanced Features and Reporting
The updated DORIS platform introduces several tools designed to make data extraction and visualization more accessible:
- Advanced Reporting: An expanded reporting system allows users to perform complex evaluations and data analysis directly within the platform.
- Improved Output: Enhanced printing functions now simplify the creation of maps, ensuring that legends and key data points are clearly presented in physical formats.
- Data Continuity: The system was designed to ensure a seamless transition, allowing existing content to be migrated and reused without loss of information.
The Comprehensive Property Report
One of the most impactful additions to the platform is the new “Grundstücksreport” (Property Report). For the first time, the system aggregates all relevant data for a specific piece of land into a single, comprehensive document. This eliminates the need for users to search through multiple databases to understand a property’s status.
The property report includes a wide array of critical data points:
- Basic Land Data: Essential property details and official zoning (Flächenwidmung).
- Visual History: Orthophoto time series and historical height models to track land changes over time.
- Risk Assessment: Detailed information on natural hazards and designated protected areas.
- Environmental Context: Data regarding the surrounding infrastructure and neighboring land use.
- Cost Savings: Lowered maintenance costs through the removal of proprietary license fees.
- Widespread Adoption: Software is standardized across nearly all Austrian states.
- Unified Data: The Property Report consolidates zoning, hazard info, and historical imagery into one file.
- Planning Power: Improved traffic data visualization aids infrastructure development.
Looking Forward
The modernization of DORIS represents a broader shift toward open, efficient, and user-centric digital governance. By consolidating disparate data streams into a single, high-performance system, Upper Austria is providing citizens and planners with the transparency and tools necessary for smarter land management and sustainable regional growth.