Chart Symbology Validator for Nautical & Aeronautical Cartography
Validate nautical and aeronautical charts against IHO, ICAO, and ISO standards
What You Can Do
You can rapidly validate chart elements—symbols, legends, color schemes, abbreviations, and metadata—against authoritative international standards including IHO S-101/S-57 for nautical charts and ICAO Annexes 4 and 15 for aeronautical charts. Claude identifies symbol inconsistencies, flags compliance risks, detects obsolete symbols, and generates correction documentation to support chart approval workflows and ensure navigation safety.
Features
Cross-references chart symbols against official IHO and ICAO symbol dictionaries to verify correct placement, appearance, and usage
Checks that all symbols, abbreviations, and notations in chart legends are complete, accurate, and standards-compliant
Verifies color palettes meet international specifications for chart type, ensuring visual distinction between feature classes
Validates chart datum declarations, projection parameters, and coordinate system metadata for cartographic accuracy
Identifies and validates placement of navigational hazards, restricted areas, traffic separation schemes, and airways against standards
Detects unintended symbol changes and discrepancies between chart editions to prevent silent errors during updates
Produces structured audit documentation showing symbol-by-symbol validation results and remediation recommendations for approval workflows
Checks conformance of text labels, abbreviations, and fonts against IHO/ICAO conventions
Example Output
Chart Validation Report: Nautical Chart NZ-101
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✅ Compliant Elements (145/156 symbols):
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Light symbols match IHO S-101 luminous range color coding
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Danger/wreck symbols positioned and styled per specification
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Bathymetric contour labeling consistent with standard depth intervals
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⚠️ Non-Compliant Issues (8 findings):
- Restricted area boundary (symbol 16.07) uses incorrect dashed line width — should be 0.5mm, currently 0.3mm
- Magnetic variation rose lacks IHO-required declination date label
- Three buoy symbols use outdated color palette (pre-2020 IHO revision)
- Legend entry for "Small craft anchorage" missing ICAO equivalent notation
- 📋 Corrections Required:
- Update 3 symbol color definitions to match current IHO S-101 palettes
- Add magnetic declination date to compass rose (required for chart validity)
- Verify buoy specifications against latest S-101 symbol library
✓ Metadata Validation: Datum (WGS84), Projection (Mercator), Scale (1:50,000) — all compliant
What's Included
- SKILL.md instruction file with IHO/ICAO standard reference framework:
- Chart Validation Checklist: Symbol-by-symbol audit template covering nautical and aeronautical chart types
- IHO/ICAO Compliance Matrix: Quick-reference guide mapping chart element types to applicable standards
- Correction Report Template: Structured format for documenting non-compliant findings and remediation steps
- Symbol Library Cross-Reference Guide: Index of common chart symbols with standard codes and compliance requirements
Who It's For
- Nautical Cartographers — Validating chart symbols and legends before publication to IHO standards
- Aeronautical Chart Specialists — Ensuring chart compliance with ICAO Annexes 4 and 15 for aviation safety
- Chart Quality Assurance Reviewers — Conducting systematic audits of updated chart editions across symbol libraries
- Hydrographic Surveyors — Verifying chart data conversion and symbol encoding in digital chart production workflows
- Chart Approval Authorities — Generating compliance documentation for chart certification and regulatory sign-off
Best For
- Pre-publication validation of nautical chart editions against IHO S-57 or S-101 specifications
- Audit of aeronautical chart updates for ICAO Annex 4 compliance before distribution
- Symbol consistency checks across multi-sheet chart series or chart families
- Detection of color palette, line weight, or typography violations in digital chart production
- Compliance documentation and correction reporting for chart approval and archival workflows
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