Esri Integrates 3D Tiles into the ArcGIS System of Record, Enhancing 3D GIS Workflows

REDLANDS, Calif., Nov. 9, 2023 — Organizations in national, state, and local governments; architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) sectors; and more are implementing 3D workflows for everything from asset monitoring to risk analysis. People naturally perceive the world in 3D, and when this innate perspective is combined with comprehensive geographic information system (GIS) technology, end users can better understand and interpret complex representations of data and information.

Advances in imagery collection and photogrammetry techniques have increased demand for digital representations of the physical world, or geospatial digital twins. To meet this demand, Esri, the global leader in GIS technology, will integrate 3D Tiles into its ArcGIS software. With the ability to work with a variety of data types, including open 3D data standards, customers can develop innovative solutions like digital twins with greater ease.

3D Tiles enables applications to stream and render massive 3D geospatial content quickly and efficiently. As an open 3D data standard, 3D Tiles is interoperable and widely used by a variety of industries. “Being able to consume and work with 3D Tiles in ArcGIS is very important to many of our customers,” said Patty Mims, Esri director of Business Development, Global National Government. “The pervasiveness of 3D GIS is rapidly increasing, and many organizations are faced with decisions on what standard to adopt and where to invest.”

The upcoming fall release of ArcGIS Pro 3.2 provides users with the ability to consume the integrated mesh and 3D object elements of a 3D Tile tileset from local directories or public services. These tilesets can be combined with other GIS layers such as Indexed 3D Scene (I3S) layers, an alternative open 3D data standard, for use in exploratory tools, analysis, animations, layouts, and more.

“With 3D Tiles seamlessly integrated into the ArcGIS 3D system of record, users can elevate their data beyond a realistic visualization by leveraging the analytic power of a complete GIS,” continued Mims. Allowing users to combine 3D Tiles with other data sources for 3D visualization and analytic workflows is the first of many steps in Esri’s continued commitment to Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) standards.

ArcGIS enables organizations across diverse sectors to implement a multidimensional system of record by combining geospatial and graph analytics, GeoAI, real-time data, and realistic 3D environments. Along with its integration into ArcGIS Pro, 3D Tiles will soon be published to ArcGIS Online and ArcGIS Enterprise as a tile-hosted service with added support throughout ArcGIS Platform for developers.

To learn more about Esri’s upcoming 3D Tiles integration for ArcGIS Pro users, visit esri.com/arcgis-blog/products/arcgis-pro/announcements/whats-new-in-arcgis-pro-3-2.

About Esri

Esri, the global market leader in geographic information system (GIS) software, location intelligence, and mapping, helps customers unlock the full potential of data to improve operational and business results. Founded in 1969 in Redlands, California, USA, Esri software is deployed in hundreds of thousands of organizations globally, including Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, nonprofit institutions, and universities. Esri has regional offices, international distributors, and partners providing local support in over 100 countries on six continents. With its pioneering commitment to geospatial technology and analytics, Esri engineers the most innovative solutions that leverage a geographic approach to solving some of the world’s most complex problems by placing them in the crucial context of location. Visit us at esri.com.

Source: Esri