The Orlando Economic Partnership and California-based Unity have created a digital twin of the entire Orlando region.

Unity’s platform is for creating and operating real-time 3D (RT3D) content.

Operational for the first time, the 3D digital-twin technology has mapped 2000 square kilometres of the region and recreated 100 square kilometres in high-fidelity, including Orange, Seminole and Osceola counties, which makes it the first large regional digital twin in use by an economic development organisation.

Digital twins are dynamic virtual copies of physical assets, processes, systems and environments that look and behave identically to real-world counterparts. Orlando’s digital twin is essentially a virtual copy of the entire region with different data sets layered throughout.

Deployed in a digital marketing centre at the partnership’s new headquarters in downtown Orlando, with an online version set for launch in the second phase of the project, the digital twin incorporates various data sets from multiple sources, allowing companies, local governments and non-profits to visualise how plans will impact the region.

By aggregating public and private sources of information, the digital twin serves as a resource for all decision makers in the area, making the technology a vital piece of Orlando’s future.

“Using this technology, Orlando has the ability to demonstrate to established companies, start-ups, entrepreneurs and thought leaders from around the globe the possibilities available to them in our city, from real estate options and infrastructure to the proximity of other like-minded companies and our diverse talent pool,” said Orlando mayor Buddy Dyer.

While other cities’ digital twins have singular applications for smaller areas, the technology for the Orlando region will have nearly unlimited uses. For economic development, the partnership will show site selectors and CEOs available land and real estate, as well as areas of interest for different industries, infrastructure connectivity and talent availability all while saving drive time.

“Orlando is one of the world’s most dynamic innovation ecosystems and this immersive digital twin further proves our position as a region leading the development of forward-thinking tools that enhance the experience of economic development,” said partnership CEO Tim Giuliani.

The partnership chose to partner Unity based on the company’s knowledge of gaming and government technology and its experience building digital twins for other well-known organisations. 

“We’re honoured to be collaborating with the Orlando Economic Partnership on this first of a kind regional digital twin of this size and scale,” said Callan Carpenter, vice president at Unity.

The partnership works to accelerate economic development and transform the region through advancing broad-based prosperity for all. Broad-based prosperity allows businesses, community leaders and local governments to work together, strengthening Orlando’s economy and quality of life by solving shared regional problems. The partnership works one-on-one to attract and assist companies with relocations and expansions to continue Orlando’s economic growth.