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What is the meaning of Altitude?
Altitude is the vertical distance of an object or location above a reference surface, most commonly mean sea level (MSL). It is used to describe the height of natural features, such as mountains and hills, as well as man-made objects, including buildings, aircraft, and satellites. In geographic and navigation applications, altitude helps determine a position's elevation relative to the Earth's surface.
In geospatial systems, altitude may be referenced to different vertical datums, such as mean sea level or an ellipsoidal surface (Height Above Ellipsoid, HAE). Accurate altitude measurements are essential for mapping, surveying, aviation, remote sensing, and GIS analyses, where understanding terrain variation and vertical positioning is critical for decision-making and spatial modeling.