Elevation API

Query high-resolution topographical elevation data (meters above sea level) across individual coordinates or sampled along transit corridors.

Where it's used

Use cases, value and how it works

Overview & Solution

Elevation and ground slope critically influence infrastructure engineering, telecommunication signal propagation, heavy vehicle fuel consumption, and drainage planning. The Elevation API extracts accurate altitude data derived from global digital elevation models (DEM).

Industry Use Cases

1. Property & Asset Risk Assessment

Flood risk screening: Factor a property's elevation relative to its surroundings into flood and waterlogging risk checks for insurance underwriting or loan collateral review.

API reference

Map Visualization · API key only

Quick try

curl
curl -X GET 'https://api-gw.sovereignsolutions.com/gateway/elevation/30m?locations=28.6129,77.2295&api-key=$API_KEY'

Endpoints

Method	Path	Purpose
`GET`	`/elevation/30m`	Elevation - single location
`GET`	`/elevation/30m`	Elevation - single location (GeoJSON)
`GET`	`/elevation/30m`	Elevation - multiple locations
`GET`	`/elevation/30m`	Elevation - multiple locations (GeoJSON)
`POST`	`/elevation/30m`	Elevation - multiple locations (POST)
`POST`	`/elevation/30m`	Elevation - multiple locations (POST, GeoJSON)

Elevation - single location

GET https://api-gw.sovereignsolutions.com/gateway/elevation/30m

Auth: api-key query parameter only - no bearer token, no tenant in the URL

Request parameters

Parameter	In	Type	Required	Description	Example
`locations`	query	string	Yes	`latitude,longitude` pairs separated by `	`, or an encoded polyline.
`format`	query	string	No	`json` (default) or `geojson`.
`interpolation`	query	string	No	How to interpolate between data points: `nearest`, `bilinear` (default) or `cubic`.
`nodata_value`	query	string	No	Elevation to return where the dataset has no data: `null` (default), `nan`, or an integer such as `-9999`.

Response

200 OK
{
  "results": [
    {
      "dataset": "srtm30m",
      "elevation": 213,
      "location": {
        "lat": 28.6129,
        "lng": 77.2295
      }
    }
  ],
  "status": "OK"
}

Field	Type	Description
`results`	array	One entry per input location, in input order.
`results[]`	object
`results[].dataset`	string	Dataset the elevation comes from.
`results[].elevation`	integer	Elevation in metres. `null` when the location is outside the dataset or has no data.
`results[].location`	object
`results[].location.lat`	number	Latitude of the location.
`results[].location.lng`	number	Longitude of the location.
`status`	string	`OK` on success, `INVALID_REQUEST` for an input error, `SERVER_ERROR` otherwise.

Errors: non-2xx responses use the standard status codes listed on Errors.

Elevation - single location (GeoJSON)

GET https://api-gw.sovereignsolutions.com/gateway/elevation/30m

Auth: api-key query parameter only - no bearer token, no tenant in the URL

Request parameters

Parameter	In	Type	Required	Description	Example
`locations`	query	string	Yes	`latitude,longitude` pairs separated by `	`, or an encoded polyline.
`format`	query	string	Yes	`json` (default) or `geojson`.	`geojson`
`interpolation`	query	string	No	How to interpolate between data points: `nearest`, `bilinear` (default) or `cubic`.
`nodata_value`	query	string	No	Elevation to return where the dataset has no data: `null` (default), `nan`, or an integer such as `-9999`.

Response

200 OK
{
  "features": [
    {
      "geometry": {
        "coordinates": [
          77.2295,
          28.6129,
          213
        ],
        "type": "Point"
      },
      "properties": {
        "dataset": "srtm30m"
      },
      "type": "Feature"
    }
  ],
  "type": "FeatureCollection"
}

Response fields (10)

Field	Type	Description
`features`	array	One point feature per input location, in input order.
`features[]`	object
`features[].geometry`	object
`features[].geometry.coordinates`	array	`[longitude, latitude, elevation]` - elevation in metres.
`features[].geometry.coordinates[]`	number
`features[].geometry.type`	string
`features[].properties`	object
`features[].properties.dataset`	string	Dataset the elevation comes from.
`features[].type`	string
`type`	string	Always `FeatureCollection`.

Errors: non-2xx responses use the standard status codes listed on Errors.

Elevation - multiple locations

GET https://api-gw.sovereignsolutions.com/gateway/elevation/30m

Auth: api-key query parameter only - no bearer token, no tenant in the URL

Request parameters

Parameter	In	Type	Required	Description	Example
`locations`	query	string	Yes	`latitude,longitude` pairs separated by `	`, or an encoded polyline.
`format`	query	string	No	`json` (default) or `geojson`.
`interpolation`	query	string	No	How to interpolate between data points: `nearest`, `bilinear` (default) or `cubic`.
`nodata_value`	query	string	No	Elevation to return where the dataset has no data: `null` (default), `nan`, or an integer such as `-9999`.

Response

200 OK
{
  "results": [
    {
      "dataset": "srtm30m",
      "elevation": 213,
      "location": {
        "lat": 28.6129,
        "lng": 77.2295
      }
    },
    {
      "dataset": "srtm30m",
      "elevation": 2204,
      "location": {
        "lat": 31.1048,
        "lng": 77.1734
      }
    },
    {
      "dataset": "srtm30m",
      "elevation": 914,
      "location": {
        "lat": 12.9716,
        "lng": 77.5946
      }
    }
  ],
  "status": "OK"
}

Field	Type	Description
`results`	array	One entry per input location, in input order.
`results[]`	object
`results[].dataset`	string	Dataset the elevation comes from.
`results[].elevation`	integer	Elevation in metres. `null` when the location is outside the dataset or has no data.
`results[].location`	object
`results[].location.lat`	number	Latitude of the location.
`results[].location.lng`	number	Longitude of the location.
`status`	string	`OK` on success, `INVALID_REQUEST` for an input error, `SERVER_ERROR` otherwise.

Errors: non-2xx responses use the standard status codes listed on Errors.

Elevation - multiple locations (GeoJSON)

GET https://api-gw.sovereignsolutions.com/gateway/elevation/30m

Auth: api-key query parameter only - no bearer token, no tenant in the URL

Request parameters

Parameter	In	Type	Required	Description	Example
`locations`	query	string	Yes	`latitude,longitude` pairs separated by `	`, or an encoded polyline.
`format`	query	string	Yes	`json` (default) or `geojson`.	`geojson`
`interpolation`	query	string	No	How to interpolate between data points: `nearest`, `bilinear` (default) or `cubic`.
`nodata_value`	query	string	No	Elevation to return where the dataset has no data: `null` (default), `nan`, or an integer such as `-9999`.

Response

200 OK
{
  "features": [
    {
      "geometry": {
        "coordinates": [
          77.2295,
          28.6129,
          213
        ],
        "type": "Point"
      },
      "properties": {
        "dataset": "srtm30m"
      },
      "type": "Feature"
    },
    {
      "geometry": {
        "coordinates": [
          77.1734,
          31.1048,
          2204
        ],
        "type": "Point"
      },
      "properties": {
        "dataset": "srtm30m"
      },
      "type": "Feature"
    },
    {
      "geometry": {
        "coordinates": [
          77.5946,
          12.9716,
          914
        ],
        "type": "Point"
      },
      "properties": {
        "dataset": "srtm30m"
      },
      "type": "Feature"
    }
  ],
  "type": "FeatureCollection"
}

Response fields (10)

Field	Type	Description
`features`	array	One point feature per input location, in input order.
`features[]`	object
`features[].geometry`	object
`features[].geometry.coordinates`	array	`[longitude, latitude, elevation]` - elevation in metres.
`features[].geometry.coordinates[]`	number
`features[].geometry.type`	string
`features[].properties`	object
`features[].properties.dataset`	string	Dataset the elevation comes from.
`features[].type`	string
`type`	string	Always `FeatureCollection`.

Errors: non-2xx responses use the standard status codes listed on Errors.

Elevation - multiple locations (POST)

POST https://api-gw.sovereignsolutions.com/gateway/elevation/30m

Auth: api-key query parameter only - no bearer token, no tenant in the URL

Request parameters

Parameter	In	Type	Required	Description
`locations`	body	string	-	`latitude,longitude` pairs separated by `

Request body
{
  "locations": "28.6129,77.2295|31.1048,77.1734|12.9716,77.5946"
}

Response

200 OK
{
  "results": [
    {
      "dataset": "srtm30m",
      "elevation": 213,
      "location": {
        "lat": 28.6129,
        "lng": 77.2295
      }
    },
    {
      "dataset": "srtm30m",
      "elevation": 2204,
      "location": {
        "lat": 31.1048,
        "lng": 77.1734
      }
    },
    {
      "dataset": "srtm30m",
      "elevation": 914,
      "location": {
        "lat": 12.9716,
        "lng": 77.5946
      }
    }
  ],
  "status": "OK"
}

Field	Type	Description
`results`	array	One entry per input location, in input order.
`results[]`	object
`results[].dataset`	string	Dataset the elevation comes from.
`results[].elevation`	integer	Elevation in metres. `null` when the location is outside the dataset or has no data.
`results[].location`	object
`results[].location.lat`	number	Latitude of the location.
`results[].location.lng`	number	Longitude of the location.
`status`	string	`OK` on success, `INVALID_REQUEST` for an input error, `SERVER_ERROR` otherwise.

Same arguments as the GET call, in the body - use it when the location list is too long for a URL.

Errors: non-2xx responses use the standard status codes listed on Errors.

Elevation - multiple locations (POST, GeoJSON)

POST https://api-gw.sovereignsolutions.com/gateway/elevation/30m

Auth: api-key query parameter only - no bearer token, no tenant in the URL

Request parameters

Parameter	In	Type	Required	Description
`locations`	body	string	-	`latitude,longitude` pairs separated by `
`format`	body	string	-	`json` (default) or `geojson`.

Request body
{
  "locations": "28.6129,77.2295|31.1048,77.1734|12.9716,77.5946",
  "format": "geojson"
}

Response

200 OK
{
  "features": [
    {
      "geometry": {
        "coordinates": [
          77.2295,
          28.6129,
          213
        ],
        "type": "Point"
      },
      "properties": {
        "dataset": "srtm30m"
      },
      "type": "Feature"
    },
    {
      "geometry": {
        "coordinates": [
          77.1734,
          31.1048,
          2204
        ],
        "type": "Point"
      },
      "properties": {
        "dataset": "srtm30m"
      },
      "type": "Feature"
    },
    {
      "geometry": {
        "coordinates": [
          77.5946,
          12.9716,
          914
        ],
        "type": "Point"
      },
      "properties": {
        "dataset": "srtm30m"
      },
      "type": "Feature"
    }
  ],
  "type": "FeatureCollection"
}

Response fields (10)

Field	Type	Description
`features`	array	One point feature per input location, in input order.
`features[]`	object
`features[].geometry`	object
`features[].geometry.coordinates`	array	`[longitude, latitude, elevation]` - elevation in metres.
`features[].geometry.coordinates[]`	number
`features[].geometry.type`	string
`features[].properties`	object
`features[].properties.dataset`	string	Dataset the elevation comes from.
`features[].type`	string
`type`	string	Always `FeatureCollection`.

Same arguments as the GET call, in the body - use it when the location list is too long for a URL.

Errors: non-2xx responses use the standard status codes listed on Errors.

Notes

Coordinates are WGS-84 (EPSG:4326). Note the order: the locations argument is latitude,longitude, while GeoJSON output is [longitude, latitude, elevation].

Where it's used​

API reference​

Quick try​

Endpoints​

Elevation - single location​

Elevation - single location (GeoJSON)​

Elevation - multiple locations​

Elevation - multiple locations (GeoJSON)​

Elevation - multiple locations (POST)​

Elevation - multiple locations (POST, GeoJSON)​

Notes​

Where it's used

API reference

Quick try

Endpoints

Elevation - single location

Elevation - single location (GeoJSON)

Elevation - multiple locations

Elevation - multiple locations (GeoJSON)

Elevation - multiple locations (POST)

Elevation - multiple locations (POST, GeoJSON)

Notes