Our Partners Edinburgh International Data Facility

Edinburgh International Data Facility

Alongside our relocation to a purpose-built facility in the Seven Hills Business Park, Edinburgh, we have also fostered a relationship with the Edinburgh International Data Facility, transforming our capacity to store, digitally preserve and utilise in innovate ways the millions of digital images produced by NCAP.

Data-driven innovation

Part of the University of Edinburgh, the Edinburgh Parallel Computing Centre (EPCC) hosts the Edinburgh International Data Facility (EIDF), which together play a key role in the Data Driven Innovation Programme of the Edinburgh and South-East Scotland City Region Deal. Funded through the UK and Scottish Governments, this aims to establish Edinburgh as the data capital of Europe. 

Collaborating with the EIDF provides NCAP with access to the petabytes of storage space we require, as well as a wealth of expertise, significantly enhancing our ability to process large volumes of high-resolution digital imagery. This relationship is crucial to our mission of preserving the invaluable and unique information contained in the tens of millions of aerial images that we care for. 

Leveraging high-performance computing infrastructure, we aim to disseminate millions of high-resolution historical aerial images of locations worldwide. Our joint venture will offer the global research community access to an ever-expanding library of datasets. Together, we are developing a framework to enable researchers to access NCAP datasets for research projects. 

Ongoing improvements

The NCAP team is always seeking to improve its processes by embracing new technologies and innovative approaches to managing the archive, making our collaboration with the EIDF immensely rewarding. Through this partnership, we continually enhance our understanding of historic geospatial data and aim to build a community of interest spanning industry, academia, and government.

Edinburgh International Data Facility - external  Edinburgh and South-East Scotland City Region Deal - external

IN THIS SECTION

A long, low profile building fills the frame. It has lots of square edges and sharp angles, and our view of it is partially blocked by spindly trees and dense, low bushes. The photograph has been taken at night, and the clear, dark blue sky glows behind the building. Three rows of windows are illuminated with orange light from inside.

Directorate of Overseas Surveys Partnership

Working with Stockholm University and the University of California (Berkeley), this partnership delivered a pioneering digitisation programme.  

Irish Defence Forces

NCAP has been working with the Irish Defence Forces to digitise tens of thousands of aerial photographic images and associated records held by the Irish Military Archives.

The Medmenham Collection

With significant elements of the NCAP collection originating from RAF Medmenham, our relationship with the Medmenham Collection remains a valuable one.

National Archives and Records Administration

In 2016, NCAP began a partnership with NARA to copy its extensive holdings of aerial photography, with a particular focus on images from the Second World War.