This standard provides specifications for representing three-dimensional (30) maps for robotics and automation. This standard defines a recommended format for exchanging map data among robots, computers, and other devices. The representation format specified by this standard considers static maps and describes their elements and associated uncertainty independently of the geographic scale and sensor modalities used to build the maps. In particular, this standard (a) defines a hierarchy of terminologies related to 30 robot maps for robotics and automation; (b) specifies a data model for each element of the hierarchy; and (c) specifies a JSON format for map data exchange between different robots, computer systems, and devices. This standard provides formats for exchanging 30 map data between robots and devices (e.g., by transmitting them over a communication channel or by saving them on some storing devices). This standard is not intended to affect internal formats that robots and devices use to build, update, and use maps.

This standard extends the IEEE 1873-2015 Standard for Robot Map Data Representation from two-dimensional (2D) maps to three-dimensional (3D) maps. The standard develops a common representation and encoding for 3D map data, to be used in applications requiring robot operation, like navigation and manipulation, in all domains (space, air, ground/surface, underwater, and underground). The standard encoding is devoted to exchange map data between robot systems, while allowing robot systems to use their private internal representations for efficient map data processing. The standard places no constraints on where map data comes from nor on how maps are constructed.

The purpose of this standard is to define a common representation for robot 3D map data. It is intended to facilitate interoperability among different navigating robots.