The Topography Explorer is an interactive map that generates and permits customers to discover 3D renderings of the Earth’s floor.
Utilizing the appliance, you possibly can create your personal 3D visualizations of watershed areas or predefined areas. The animated GIF on the high of this submit is an instance of a 3D visualization generated by the Topography Explorer. This animation exhibits a 3D rendering of Bioko, an island belonging to Equatorial Guinea.
The Topography Explorer contains dynamic URL addresses. For instance, here’s a direct hyperlink to the 3D visualization of the island of Bioko. Presently, the appliance doesn’t present the choice to obtain knowledge from created 3D visualizations.
The DEM Internet Elevation API may enable you create your very personal 3D terrain fashions for any location on Earth. DEM Internet has a unbelievable instrument that permits you to generate 3D fashions just by deciding on an space on a map.
To create a 3D mannequin utilizing the DEM Internet Elevation API, all you need to do is draw a sq. on an interactive map across the space you want to mannequin. Inside seconds, DEM Internet will generate a 3D mannequin of your chosen space. You may then rotate and zoom in & out in your mannequin straight within the browser. Moreover, you possibly can obtain the mannequin in two completely different codecs.
DEM Internet gives a number of customization choices, together with:
- A choice of completely different satellite tv for pc imagery or map tile sources in your mannequin.
- The power to regulate the peak of your mannequin to magnify elevation ranges.
- A selection of varied elevation fashions to generate your terrain.
In the event you’d like to personal a 3D mannequin of your personal neighborhood, you may wish to strive Tile Exporter. In contrast to the Topography Explorer and DEM Internet, this software doesn’t generate topographical representations however as a substitute creates 3D fashions of city areas utilizing constructing footprints from Mapzen maps.
The instrument makes use of constructing top knowledge from Mapzen’s vector map tiles, enabling you to create a 3D map of any neighborhood. Simply enter an handle into Tile Exporter, and also you’ll see a 3D map of the situation. It’s also possible to use the inset map to regulate the situation by deciding on adjoining map tiles.
When you’ve discovered a 3D scene that you simply like, merely press the “Obtain” button to seize the .obj file. This file contains:
- Constructing top knowledge
- Earth, water, and land-use layers of your chosen map tile
When you’ve downloaded your .obj file, all you want is a 3D printer to convey your mannequin to life!
