Absolute altitude is the true vertical distance from an object or aircraft to a fixed point on Earth, measured in feet or meters above sea level. It provides an accurate measure of an object’s elevation in relation to the Earth’s surface, essential for aviation and geospatial applications. Pilots use absolute altitude for navigation, ensuring safety and clearance from terrain. The formula to calculate absolute altitude as follows:
Where:
- is the absolute altitude in m,
- is the geometric altitude in m, and
- is the Earth’s radius in m.