Disaster response teams tasked with saving cultural heritage face the enormous challenge of documenting damage, tracking rescue actions, and ensuring efficient data handling—often under harsh conditions. The KulturGutRetter project, led by DAI in partnership with THW and LEIZA, set out to build an open-source workflow for real-time data acquisition and management during emergency missions
At the heart of the system is QField, integrated with QGIS and tailored form-based templates that capture a wide variety of data types—photographs, audio, video, geolocation, and unique UUID/QR-coded IDs. This ensures every asset—whether building or artifact—can be traced from salvage through stabilization
QField-powered field kits equipped with tablets connect via a local server and router—even offline. Synchronization to a central PostgreSQL database allows live tracking and coordination of data across devices. This mobile GIS system proved its resilience during a full-scale disaster drill at Demerthin Castle (September 2024), fulfilling ISO-standard data capture and secure workflow needs
This integrated QField‑based system allowed the KulturGutRetter team to:
By combining QField, QGIS, PostgreSQL, and open‑source tooling under the KulturGutRetter project—supported by the German Bundestag and Foreign Office—this case demonstrates how agile, mobile-first open-source GIS can revolutionize emergency documentation for cultural heritage
QField is the leading professional fieldwork app used in enterprise settings for efficient geospatial data collection and management. As a Digital Public Good, QField not only excels in enterprise and professional applications but also contributes significantly to advancing at least six of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), promoting a more sustainable and equitable future.
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