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AutoTerra
Pro Spatial

The Geospatial Engineering Platform.

Point Cloud · Surface & Contours · Volumes · Sections · GIS · CAD · Topo-Survey · Field-to-Finish.

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Most engineering and geospatial workflows require five or more separate tools. AutoTerra Pro Spatial brings them all under one roof.

10+
Integrated Modules
256
Point Cloud Colour Classes
50+
File Formats Supported
10+
Object Classification Types

One licence. One interface. Zero software-switching.

From classifying a billion-point cloud to generating a 3D flythrough animation, drafting a finished CAD plan, balancing a traverse, and producing georeferenced section reports — AutoTerra Pro Spatial handles the complete workflow in a single session without exporting to another application.

Ten Modules. One Core.

Every Geospatial Tool,
United & Native.

AutoTerra Pro Spatial is a CAD-dominant geospatial platform where survey data, point clouds, GIS layers, terrain surfaces, and background imagery all live and work together natively.

☁️

Point Cloud

Data processing, GPU rendering, Multiple auto classification, 3D animation, Down processing.

🗺️

GIS

CAD-native GIS import, attribute editing, topology checks, Audit options, 8 online/offline map sources.

✏️

Inbuilt CAD

Cad engine, Layers, Layout, Dimensions, Blocks, Annotation licence. Popular drawing format exchange. — no separate CAD.

⛰️

DTM & Terrain

TIN surfaces, break lines, exclusing & inclusion boundaries, contours, slope/aspect, OBJ/STL/PLY export.

📐

Profiles & Sections

Alignment-based long sections, cross-sections, point cloud corridor sections, section templates, PDF output.

📏

Survey & Topo

Code library, Field-to-finish, Total Station/ DGPS/ Theodolite/ Tacheometer/ Digital level, COGO, traverse adjustment, LandXML.

📊

Volumes

DTM-to-DTM, elevation reference, grid-based, section-based — cut/fill visualization and reporting.

🌐

Background Maps

Bing Aerial/ Road/ Hybrid, OpenStreetMap, Custom WMTS/XYZ Tiles — online and offline cached options. KML/KMZ Import export.

🛣️

AutoRoads

Road & corridor design platform —Upcoming (see page 10 for early access details).

🗒

Reporting

Multi-sheet layouts, cross-section reports, georeferenced image export, PDF output.

How the Platform Works Together

Every workspace in AutoTerra operates within a unified engineering & geospatial environment. Point cloud classifications update terrain models instantly, allowing DTM surfaces, profiles, sections, and volume calculations to remain continuously connected to the same source data.

Survey observations, GIS layers, CAD geometry, terrain surfaces, and background imagery coexist within a single project session, eliminating repetitive export-import workflows between separate applications. GIS features remain editable as native CAD entities, while live map services provide real-world geospatial context across every view

Field survey codes are automatically transformed into production-ready CAD drawings at import, reducing manual drafting effort and improving workflow consistency. Traverse computation, terrain modelling, cross-sections, reporting, and visualization all operate on the same integrated data model.

This is the core AutoTerra philosophy: one platform, one coordinated workflow, one connected dataset.

workflow image

The AutoTerra Advantage in nutshell.

From raw point cloud to final deliverable, AutoTerra Pro Spatial keeps the entire geospatial workflow inside a single integrated environment. Load and classify LiDAR data in live 3D, generate terrain surfaces, validate against real-time aerial imagery, produce CAD-ready survey drawings from code libraries, extract profiles and cross-sections, balance traverses, compute cut/fill volumes, create presentation-ready flythroughs, and publish final reports — all without exporting data between disconnected applications.

Interactive Point Cloud Visualization at Production Scale

AutoTerra Pro Spatial supports the full 8-bit LAS classification space — all 256 class values — each with its own independently assignable colour. Switch between colour modes instantly. Stay interactive at any dataset size.

The colour mode is set per dataset and updated live from the display panel. All modes are GPU-rendered via GLSL shaders — switching colour mode does not require a re-render pass.

RGB — True Colour

Renders using the RGB values captured by the sensor camera. Photorealistic view for scene review, site familiarisation, and client presentations.

Classification — 256-Class Palette

Easch 256 LAS class values (0–255) has its own user-assignable colour. The 19 standard LAS classes ship with professional default colours; classes 19–255 are fully configurable for custom coding schemes.

Elevation Ramp

A continuous colour gradient across the dataset Z range — Visible Classes, Visible Display, or Fixed Range modes. Immediately reveals terrain variation, stockpile profiles, and building heights.

Intensity

Renders by LiDAR return intensity — the reflectance value per surface. Highlights material boundaries invisible in RGB or elevation views. Useful for road condition assessments and surface differentiation.

RGB + Elevation Blend

Combines true-colour RGB with an elevation gradient using configurable blend modes (Multiply, Add, Overlay, Custom). Terrain structure visible through the colour photograph.

RGB + Intensity Blend

Overlays intensity data onto the RGB image for richer surface detail — particularly effective for road surface condition surveys and detecting material boundaries in dense urban scans

Performance Engineered for Production Workflows

AutoTerra Pro Spatial is designed for high-performance geospatial processing across the entire workflow. Fast data loading, GPU-accelerated rendering, tile-based processing, and optimized memory management keep the platform responsive even on large-scale point cloud projects. Classification, terrain generation, raster export, and visualization operations are engineered for efficient execution, enabling smooth interaction with massive datasets throughout the project lifecycle.

Visualization & Loading Speed

✔ Extremely Fast Data Loading

Point Cloud datasets load rapidly with smart pre-filtering — only needed points enter memory

✔ GPU Octree LOD Rendering

Billions of points navigate interactively without frame drops — no waiting for re-renders

✔ Instant Display Mode Switching

Colour mode changes (RGB, Classification, Elevation, Intensity) apply without re-loading

✔ Instant Surface Visualization

Banded, continuous, and contour surface displays update in real time as display settings change

✔ 3D Surface Speed During Operations

The 3D surface render stays fully active during fence selection and reclassification — no viewport freeze

Processing Speed

✔ Classification Routines — Fast Execution

Ground, building, and vegetation routines run at speeds competitive with leading specialist platforms

✔ Tile-Parallel Processing

Classification and export routines execute across project tiles concurrently — large projects complete faster

✔ DSM Export — Millions of Points

Efficient raster export pipeline handles very large point counts without memory bottlenecks

✔ RGB TIFF Generation

Create georeferenced RGB imagery from raw point cloud colour values at full resolution

✔ Interpolation for DSM & RGB

Fill gaps in sparse point clouds with configurable interpolation — produce higher-resolution output for both DSM and RGB raster

Point Cloud 3D Surface — Instant Visual Feedback

AutoTerra Pro SpatialAutoTerra Pro Spatial renders a continuous 3D surface directly from the point cloud in real time — without requiring intermediate mesh generation or terrain preprocessing. Surface visualization remains active during selection, classification, and editing workflows, providing immediate spatial feedback throughout the entire interaction process.

As fences are drawn or classifications are updated, the surrounding surface updates dynamically, allowing operators to review terrain continuity, object boundaries, and classification impact instantly within the live 3D environment.

Surface Display Modes

✔ Banded elevation visualization for terrain transition analysis

✔ Continuous elevation gradients for surface continuity review

✔ Contour visualization directly on the point cloud

✔ Classification-based rendering using configurable class colours

✔ Real-time surface updates during editing/reclassification

Operational Advantages

✔ No separate mesh or DTM generation required for visualization

✔ Full 3D context maintained during fence and brush operations

✔ Responsive surface interaction on large-scale datasets

✔ Immediate visual verification of classification changes

✔ Integrated visualization for inspection, QA, and terrain interpretation

Multi-Return Point Cloud Support

AutoTerra supports multi-return LiDAR data natively. Each return (First, Second, Last, Only, and intermediate returns) is stored and accessible as part of the point record. Multi-return data is critical for vegetation penetration analysis, powerline corridor surveys, and canopy structure mapping.

✔ First & Last Return

Top-of-canopy and hard surface reflections — highest point in the beam path. Ground penetration returns — basis for bare-earth extraction in vegetated areas

✔ Intermediate Returns

Mid-canopy and structure returns — critical for powerline and vegetation structure

✔ Return-Based Filtering

Filter during data import to use return

✔ LAS Return Fields Preserved

All return metadata retained through processing, filtering, and export

Module 01 · Point Cloud Intelligence

Production-scale Point Cloud
Interactive & GPU-Accelerated

Advanced Colour Modes

  • RGB True colour from sensor
  • Full 256-class classification palette
  • Elevation gradient & Intensity mode
  • RGB + Elevation blend for terrain context

3D Flythrough Animation

  • Route-based or orbit animation
  • Export video directly from point cloud
  • Client-ready visualisations

3D Animation & Point Cloud Flythrough

Create compelling 3D flythrough animations directly from your point cloud data — without specialist animation software. Perfect for client presentations, project reviews, and stakeholder communication.

🎬

Route-Based 3D Flythrough

Define a camera path through the point cloud along any alignment, GPS track, or freehand route. AutoTerra animates a smooth flythrough at configurable speed and field of view. Export as video for direct use in presentations and reports — no third-party 3D software required.

🏁

Orbit based Animation

Animate through a particular focus— ideal for road, drainage, and utility corridor inspections. Each frame corresponds to a chainage station, letting reviewers experience the entire route sequentially in 3D.

🌐

Panoramic Scene Capture

Capture full-scene panoramic views of your point cloud at any viewpoint. Combine with classification colour modes to highlight specific features — buildings in red, vegetation in green, bare earth in brown — for maximum visual impact.

RoutineDescription
Low Point DetectionBelow-surface isolation configurable
Noise RemovalMulti-axis outlier/spike removal
Ground ClassificationProgressive TIN bare-earth
Vegetation TieringLow/Med/High, individual tree
Corridor ClassificationDedicated pipeline for road/rail

Multiple Object Types. Full 3D Classification

AutoTerra’ s classification system is built for the real world — various distinct object categories, full 3D interactive editing, dedicated analysis tools, and section/profile views for classification audit. Classify with precision. Verify in 3D. Deliver with confidence.

Classification Working in 3D

This is one of AutoTerra’ s most significant differentiators. All classification tools — brush, fence, and automated routines — operate directly in the live 3D viewport. You see the classification result in 3D as you work. Colour changes, class boundaries, and neighbourhood context are all visible in real time. There is no "switch to 2D to classify then back to 3D" workflow — every operation happens where the data lives.

3D Editing Capabilities

✔ Brush in Any 3D Viewport

Classify exactly the points you see from any camera angle

✔ 3D Fence Selection

All fence modes work in perspective, top, front, and section views

✔ Class Visibility Toggle

Show/hide specific classes to inspect results at any stage

✔ Real-Time Visual Feedback

Points update colour instantly as class is assigned

✔ Full Undo

Every edit tracked

Viewing Options

✔ 3D View Classification

Top-down fence and brush for roof surfaces and horizontal features

✔ Section View Classification

Classify from a cross-section — isolate walls, ground, or utilities

✔ Class Filter + Isolate

Isolate one or more classes for focused review and editing

✔ Gaussian Splat During Edit

High-quality splat render stays active during editing for context

Automated Classification Routine

Independently configurable routines cover every stage of the classification workflow — from noise isolation and bare-earth extraction through to structure detection, vegetation tiering, and corridor asset classification. Each routine can run across the full dataset or be fence-constrained to a specific area, and any combination can be saved as a task queue for automatic execution across all project tiles.

Three project-level inputs guide all routines before any parameter is applied — ensuring presets are appropriate for the scanner, site geometry, and vegetation without manual threshold tuning:

✔ Low Point Detection

Below-surface artefact isolation with grouping radius and sensitivity configurable per scanner type

✔ Noise Removal

Multi-axis outlier detection covering High Noise, spikes, and XY scatter; with configurable sensitivity

✔ Ground Classification

Progressive TIN bare-earth extraction; with seed method tuneable as per terrain type

✔ Refine Ground Surface

Post-processing pass for demotion of misclassified roofs, treetops, and elevated artefacts.

✔ Key point Extraction

Geometry-preserving thinning → Class 8; Model mode for TIN input or Contour mode matched to the final drawing interval

✔ Vegetation Classification

Height-above-ground tiering into Low / Medium / High with configurable reference classes; individual tree detection optional

✔ Object Detection

Detects 8 toggled categories — buildings, bridges, vehicles, poles, power lines, signs, billboards, and water — each with dedicated parameters (see below)

✔ Absolute Elevation

Assigns all points above or below a defined Z threshold to any target class; invert range supported

✔ Direct Classification

Fence-based manual reclassification.

✔ Corridor Classification

Dedicated corridor pipeline using guidelines; focuses ground, vegetation, and object relevant to corridor.



Classification Routines — Full Pipelines

✔ Scanner Source

Autodetects source, Airborne, UAV, Mobile, or Terrestrial — adapts point density assumptions, seed methods, and edge detection to the capture geometry

✔ Terrain Type

Flat, Urban, Mountainous, Steep Face, Stockpile, or Corridor — tunes iteration angles, distances, and surface model expectations accordingly

✔ Vegetation Density

None through Dense — controls height thresholds, canopy penetration assumptions, and ground seed behaviour in vegetated scenes

✔ Corridor Mode

Automatically activated in corridor workflows — aligns all routines to guide-line geometry

Object Detection — 8 Independently Toggled Categories

Object Detection is not a single pass — each category is individually toggled and carries its own parameter set. Run only the categories relevant to the dataset:

✔ Buildings

Planar roof and wall detection; min footprint, planarity, roughness, and sub-patch parameters for complex rooflines

✔ Bridges & Culverts

Elevated planar deck structures; span and clearance geometry aware

✔ Vehicles

Moving and stationary vehicles on ground or road surfaces, with filters to prevent false positives

✔ Poles

Vertical linear structures — streetlights, utility poles, masts; corridor guide integration for alignment-based assets.

✔ Power Lines

Linear catenary detection between detected poles; highly effective with corridor projects

✔ Signs & Billboards

Flat elevated panels separate roadside signage from building facades

✔ Water

Low-reflectance flat surfaces below surrounding terrain — pond, river, canal, and drainage area detection

✔ Source & Reference Control

Every category draws from user-defined source classes and references the project ground model — previously classified data is protected during each detection pass

Project Tiles — No Dataset Is Too Large

AutoTerra Pro Spatial supports a fully tiled project architecture. Any dataset — no matter how large — can be split into a spatial grid of tiles and managed as a single unified project. Classification routines execute block by block across the tile set, so project scale is limited only by storage, not by memory or processing time.

Tile Management

✔ Tile Wizard — Auto Split

Divide any oversized point cloud into a spatially indexed tile grid in one operation

✔ Multi-Source Tile Merging

Combine tiles from different scan sessions, dates, or instruments into one unified project

Block-Based Processing

✔ Tile-Level Classification

Run any routine on individual tiles or selected blocks without touching the rest of the project

✔ Class Continuity at Boundaries

No edge artefacts between adjacent tiles — results are consistent across block boundaries

Classification Task Macros — Automate Across the Entire Project

AutoTerra’ s Task Macro system lets you define a named sequence of classification routines and processing operations, then execute that sequence automatically across all tiles in the project. Set it up once — reapply it to any new dataset with one command.

📋

Create a Classification Task

Define a named sequence: ground extraction, building detection, vegetation separation — in any order, with saved parameters.

🗒

Run Across Entire Project (All Tiles)

Execute the task across the full tiled project. Large projects complete without manual intervention.

🔄

Reapply to New Data

Apply the same task macro to new scan data. Consistent classification results across update surveys, change detection, and multi-date datasets.

Point Cloud Section & Profile — Classification, Audit & Verification

AutoTerra Pro Spatial provides dedicated section and profile workflows directly on the raw point cloud — before any terrain surface or DTM is generated. This environment is designed for classification audit, structural inspection, ground verification, and fine-tuned manual refinement directly from the LiDAR returns. Section & Profile view remains dynamically linked to the live point cloud dataset, enabling inspection on class accuracy, validate terrain separation, review structures and perform targeted reclassification with full spatial context.

What You Can Do

✔ Point Cloud Profile Corridor

Extract a corridor section from two user-defined points with configurable width.

✔ Station-by-Station Section Walkthrough

Step through cross-sections at any interval along an alignment.

✔ Section for Classification Audit

Inspect classification accuracy at every cross-section before surface generation.

✔ Linked 3D-Section Views

3D view, plan view, and section view remain synchronized for coordinated inspection and navigation.

✔ Classification-Aware Filtering

Display only selected classes within the section view to isolate target features and improve audit precision.

Performance Features

✔ Classification-Aware Filtering

Show only selected classes in section view — isolate ground, buildings, or any target class

✔ Special tools for section view classification

Below line & and Above line classification are available in section view along with brush, direct fence for greater control and fine tune.

✔ Cached Station Extents

Pre-computed section bounds for fast station stepping.

✔ Measurement Tools in Section

Measure heights, distances, and slopes directly on section views.

Selection Tools & direct classification

AutoTerra Pro Spatial combines fence-based and brush-based workflows into a unified interactive classification environment for rapid point selection, inspection, and reclassification directly in 3D, plan, and section views.

⬛

Rectangle Fence

Fast rectangular selection for corridors, buildings, and site areas.

🔷

Polygon Fence

Flexible irregular selection for complex terrain and objects.

⭕

Circle Fence

Radial selection for stockpiles and circular features.

📐

Fence from CAD Geometry

Use existing CAD polylines or GIS polygons directly as selection boundaries.

Interactive Classification Tools

✔ Direct fence-based classification.

✔ Brush classification with adjustable radius.

✔ Click and continuous drag classification modes.

✔ Works in 3D, plan, and section environments.

✔ Cuboid and band-based selection support.

✔ Full undo / redo workflow tracking.


Point Manipulation

✔ Translate

Shift by exact X, Y, Z displacement.

✔ Crop by Elevation

Non-destructive Z-range clip.

✔ Crop by XY Bounds

Rectangular plan footprint clip.

✔ Merge Clouds

Combine multiple LAS files into one dataset

✔ Smart Import Filter

Pre-filter by Z, XY, class, skip — live point count.

Point Cloud Import & Export

Import Formats

LAS / LAZ — Smart filter at import: elevation, XY, class, skip interval — live point count before load.

E57 — Structured scanner data, direct import.

PLY — Column-mapping wizard for flexible import.

Text / CSV — Any delimiter — X, Y, Z, Intensity, Class, Return.

Multi-File Tile Set — Virtual cloud assembled from spatially indexed tiles.

Export Outputs

LAS Export — Full attribute and class preservation; format version selectable.

DSM Export — Efficient raster export pipeline handles millions of points; tile-by-tile processing, no memory bottleneck.

RGB TIFF from Point Cloud — Georeferenced full-colour raster from raw LiDAR RGB values — no ortho step required.

Interpolated DSM & RGB — Fill voids in sparse returns with configurable interpolation — produce higher-resolution output.

OBJ / STL / PLY Mesh — 3D mesh export for BIM, engineering review, and geospatial exchange

GIS Power Inside CAD Workflow

Native GIS Import

  • Shapefile, GeoJSON, GDB, FlatGeobuf, KML/KMZ
  • EPSG-aware transformation to UTM
  • Background maps: Bing, OSM, WMTS, offline cache

Full CAD Engine

  • DWG/DXF native read/write
  • Draw, modify, dimension, multi-sheet layouts
  • Layers, blocks, precise snapping

GIS Power Inside a CAD Workflow.

AutoTerra Pro Spatial brings practical GIS capability directly into the CAD-first design environment. Import spatial data, edit it as native CAD geometry, manage attributes, validate topology, and export clean GIS deliverables — without leaving the drawing workflow.

CAD-Native GIS Import.

AutoTerra converts GIS data into editable CAD entities while preserving table structure and all attributes. There is no import-to-view step — imported features become live drawing geometry you can snap to, edit, and save back to their source format.

Shapefile, GeoJSON, GeoPackage, File Geodatabase (.gdb), FlatGeobuf, MapInfo TAB / MIF, GeoParquet, GML. File Geodatabase import includes table pre-selection, geometry type review, EPSG detection, record counts, colour and fill settings, and multi-layer import into a single CAD project — in one operation.

Coordinate System Intelligence

✔ EPSG-Aware Import

Reads and displays CRS on all supported formats.

✔ Auto-Transform to Project UTM

No manual reprojection step needed.

✔ UTM Zones 1–60 N/S

Full global zone coverage.

✔ WGS84 Export for KML

✓Correct geographic output for Google Earth.

✔ Custom EPSG on Export

Target any coordinate system at export.

✔ Reprojection Engine

Accurate coordinate transformation library.

Managed GIS Layers

Layer Controls

✔ Visibility Toggle

Show/hide without removing from project.

✔ Lock / Unlock

Prevent accidental edits to reference layers.

✔ Colour, Fill & Transparency

Per-layer visual style control.

✔ Attribute Table Access

One click from layer to tabular view.

✔ Multi-Layer Selection

Batch export or delete across tables.

Data Synchronisation

✔ CAD Edit Sync

Drawing changes reflect in GIS table automatically.

✔ Save to Source

Write edits back to original file for supported formats.

✔ New Feature Scan-back

New CAD geometry auto registered as GIS records.

✔ Record State Tracking

Delete and modify operations tracked per record.

✔ Multi-Table Export

Export to GeoPackage for single-file delivery.

Attribute Editing

✔ Grid-First Attribute Editing

Fast everyday review and editing.

✔ Spreadsheet Mode

Bulk copy-paste and tabular clean-up.

✔ CAD-Linked Records

Geometry-aware table with zoom and select.

✔ Field Management

Add, rename, move, and remove GIS fields.

✔ Smart Auto-Fill

Populate from chainage, geometry, or project values.

✔ KML Field Mapping

Mark primary KML name field, hide non-export fields.

✔ Soft Delete & Undo

Reverse accidental deletions at any time.

✔ Caption Generation

Add drawing labels from attribute values.

✔ Full Edit Tracking

Changes tracked through GIS project store.

✔ Permanent Delete Control

Explicit permanent deletes when required.



Online & Offline Background Maps.

AutoTerra includes live background map support directly in the CAD/GIS workspace. Tile sources load behind your CAD drawing and GIS layers, giving you georeferenced visual context for every project — no external GIS application required. AutoTerra supports multiple background map sources, including Bing Aerial, Bing Hybrid, Bing Road, Bing Road Gray, Bing Road Dark, OpenStreetMap, OSM Cycle Map, and custom WMTS/XYZ tile sources for configurable online mapping and project context.

Raster & Georeferenced Imagery

AutoTerra Pro Spatial supports a broad range of georeferenced raster and imagery workflows directly inside the CAD and GIS environment. Raster layers remain spatially aligned with survey, terrain, CAD, and GIS data, providing continuous visual context throughout analysis, drafting, and engineering workflows.

Large imagery datasets can be managed efficiently for corridor mapping, terrain interpretation, background referencing, and geospatial validation without requiring external GIS applications.

Supported Raster Formats

✔ GeoTIFF — Georeferenced raster imagery and terrain datasets.

✔ ECW — High-compression large imagery Workflows.

✔ JPEG 2000 (JP2) — Compressed georeferenced imagery.

✔ TIFF with World File (.tfw) support.

✔ PNG/JPEG with PGW/JGW world-file referencing.

✔ Broad compatibility with industry-standard geospatial raster formats.

Operational Advantages

✔ Permanent CAD-linked raster references.

✔ Large imagery handling with optimized display Workflows.

✔ On-the-fly coordinate transformation during insertion.

✔ Ground-control-based image georeferencing workflows.

✔ Georeferenced raster export with projection support.

✔ Lightweight background display mode for rapid project review.

Topology & Quality Control

✔ Invalid Geometry Detection

Self-intersections, unclosed rings.

✔ Duplicate Feature Check

Identify identical geometry records.

✔ Small Geometry Filter

Flag slivers, micro-polygons, near-zero areas.

✔ Polygon Overlap Check

Identify overlapping polygon footprints.

✔ Gap Detection

Identify unintended gaps between polygons.

✔ Line Dangle Check

Detect undershoots and overshoots.

✔ Line Self-Intersection

Flag crossing line segments.

✔Point Near-Duplicate

Identify near-coincident point features.

From Point Cloud to Finished Surface Model.

AutoTerra Pro builds accurate terrain models from any combination of classified point cloud, survey points, and break-lines — and takes those surfaces directly into contour generation, slope analysis, volume calculations, and exportable mesh deliverables.

Surface Modelling

✔ TIN (Triangulated Irregular Network)

From survey points, breaklines, or ground-class PC.

✔ Hard & Soft Breaklines

Control triangulation at defined feature edges.

✔ DTM Include / Exclude Boundaries

Constrain surface extent with polygon limits.

✔ Triangle Filtering

Filter by max area and max angle for clean TIN.

✔ Elevation Filtering

Remove outlier elevations; zero-level ignore option.

✔ DTM / DSM Generation

Bare-earth and full-surface model variants.

✔ Grid Raster (GeoTIFF DEM)

User-defined cell spacing export.

✔ Surface Smoothing

Multiple algorithms; topology-preserving, boundary-aware, volume-preserving.

✔ Surface Decimation

Reduce triangle count while preserving geometry accuracy.

✔ Contour Generation

User interval, min contour length, area filter, annotation, colour.

✔ Slope Analysis

Classified slope maps, slope zones, percent / degree / ratio.

✔ Elevation Bands

Colour-coded band display — height zones across the surface.

✔ Aspect Analysis

Surface orientation for drainage and solar modelling.

✔ Multi-Surface Comparison

Colour-coded Z-deviation between two TIN surfaces.

✔ Surface Statistics

Min/max elevation, point count, triangle count, 2D area, 3D area.

✔ Surface Planning

Best-fit plane calculation with per-corner refinement options.

Mesh & Surface Export.

Processed surfaces can be exported as 3D mesh deliverables for BIM, engineering review, and geospatial exchange. Formats supported are OBJ, STL, PLY, VTK, VTP, GeoTiff DEM, LandXml TIN, Grid ASCII, Contour SHP.

Volume Calculations — Four Methods.

🔲

DTM-to-DTM Volume

Calculate the volume between two triangulated surfaces — the engineering standard for earthworks progress reporting, before-and-after comparison, and design vs. as-built checks. Geometric and Averaging computation modes.

📏

Elevation Reference Plane

Compute volume above or below a fixed horizontal datum plane. The fastest method for stockpile inventory, pond capacity, and simple cut/fill assessments.

⬛

Grid-Based Volume

Divide the study area into a regular grid and compute per-cell volumes. Preferred for large uniform earthworks where prismoidal error needs to be distributed evenly across the site.

📐

Section-Based Volume

Calculate volumes from cross-section areas using the average-end-area or prismoidal method — the traditional engineering standard for road, rail, and drainage quantity surveys. Connects directly to the route/section workflow.

🗺

Elevation-Band Volume

Compute volumes between user-defined elevation bands — useful for reservoir storage curves, mine pit volumes, and flood modelling scenarios.

Cut/Fill Visualisation & Reporting

✔ Cut/Fill Zone Colour Mapping

Instant visual separation of cut and fill areas.

✔ Cut/Fill Back to Drawing

Save cut/fill zone polygons as CAD/GIS layer.

✔ Boundary-Controlled Calculation

Compute within user-defined project boundary.

✔ Cut/Fill Image Export

Pixel size, DPI, and scale controls for report imagery.

✔ Volume Report Export

Formatted report with chainage table for section-based volumes.

✔ Section Volume to Route

Connect section volumes back to road design route workflow.

Engineering Profiles & Sections. Built on the Terrain Model.

AutoTerra's Profile & Section module is a CAD-native engineering tool driven by the DTM surface. Extract accurate ground profiles, cut cross-sections at any interval, calculate areas and volumes from sections, compare surfaces, and produce print-ready drawings — all inside the same project environment as your survey data, point cloud, and GIS layers.

From Point Cloud to Engineering Surface

Surface Modelling

  • TIN from ground points / breaklines
  • Contour generation, slope/aspect maps
  • Export: GeoTIFF, OBJ, STL, LandXML

Volume Methods

  • DTM-to-DTM · Grid · Elevation plane · Section-based
  • Cut/fill heatmaps & reports
01

Profiles & Sections

Alignment long-sections, cross-sections with chainage table.

02

Volume Reporting

PDF export, tabular volumes, comparison charts.

Profile Extraction from DTM

The ground profile is extracted directly from the TIN surface model. Define an alignment, set chainage and RL parameters, and AutoTerra generates the full longitudinal profile with a chain/RL table — ready for design overlay or report output.

✔ Quick Profile from DTM Surface

Instant ground profile from any TIN — chain/RL table generated automatically.

✔ Vertical Scale Control

Independent horizontal and vertical scales for print clarity.

✔ Chain Interval & Grid Display

Configurable chainage marks, RL grid, and label intervals.

✔ Datum & Vertical Offset

Set reference datum and datum offset per profile.

✔ Profile Navigation

Zoom, pan, snap, and coordinated plan/profile view.

✔ Design Grade Overlay

Apply a vertical grade design line for cut/fill preview along the profile.

✔ Plan-Profile Coordination

Navigate in plan — profile updates to current chainage instantly.

✔ Multiple Surface Profiles

Overlay profiles from two surfaces for before/after comparison.

Surface Comparison in Section.

AutoTerra can overlay two DTM surfaces on the same cross-section — for example, a design surface and an as-built survey surface. The difference is computed per station, giving immediate cut/fill verification at every section.

✔ Two-Surface Section Overlay

Display design and existing ground on the same cross-section.

✔ Cut/Fill Identification per Station

Visual and numeric cut/fill at each cross-section.

✔ Area Difference Computation

Net area between two surfaces at any section.

✔ Volume from Comparison

Accumulate volumes from two-surface section comparison.

✔ Colour-Coded Zone Display

Cut zones in one colour, fill zones in another for instant reading.

✔ Export Comparison Report

Station-by-station cut/fill area and volume table output.

Note: Point Cloud Section & Profile.

The section and profile view of the raw point cloud (used for classification audit and visual inspection) is a separate tool covered in the Point Cloud chapter (pages 3–4). That tool operates directly on Point Cloud before any DTM is created. This module works on finished terrain surfaces and engineering outputs and alignments.

From Field Observation to Finished CAD Drawing.

AutoTerra Pro Spatial is a complete survey-to-surface production platform. It does not stop at importing coordinates — it converts survey codes into finished drawings, supports traditional instruments, processes level data, balances traverses, and builds constrained DTMs, all inside one project environment.

Survey Code Library — Field-to-Finish Production.

AutoTerra’ s survey system is built around a true code library, not just point import. Each survey code defines exactly how field observations become finished drawing entities — automatically, on import. A surveyor can collect coded points in the field, import them, and let AutoTerra produce a CAD-ready drawing without any manual drafting.

Code-Driven Entity Creation

✔ Point, Line, Closed Polygon, Rectangle

Per-code geometry type assignment

✔ Layer & Symbol Name/h4>

Entity layer, symbol layer, point ID layer per code.

✔ Northing/Easting/Elevation Text Layers

Per-code coordinate text placement.

✔ Symbol Name, Scale & Rotation

Per-code symbol definition from the project library

✔ Linetype & Line Scale

Per-code linetype and line scale for connected entities

Hatch, Fill & DTM Control

✔ Hatch Name, Scale & Angle

Per-code fill with full style control

✔ Fill Colour & Transparency

Independent fill from line colour per code

✔ DTM Participation Flag

Per-code control over which points enter the terrain model

✔ Attribute Controls

Point ID, N, E, RL, Description per-code visibility

✔ Code-Based Regeneration

Re-apply code library rules after editing without re-import

✔ Legacy Drawing Conversion

Convert existing CAD points/lines/polylines back into survey data records

Broad Instrument Support — A Key Commercial Differentiator.

AutoTerra Pro Spatial is one of the few modern platforms that supports traditional and legacy survey instruments alongside current total station and GNSS workflows. Survey teams operating mixed equipment fleets can use AutoTerra to bring together old field books, traditional angular-distance observations, and modern coordinate files — without switching software or re-entering data manually.

Traditional Instruments

✔ Theodolite Workflow

Angular observation entry and computation.

✔ Tacheometer / Tachymetry.

Distance-angle based coordinate calculation.

✔ Distomat / EDM Workflow

Electronic distance measurement data.

✔ Level / Levelling Data

Full level book workflow with RL computation.

✔ Legacy Raw Data Import

Configurable import patterns for historical field records.

Modern & Digital Formats

✔ Total Station Raw (Topcon)

Field instrument import with raw observation records.

✔ ASCII / Text Coordinate Import

Configurable column mapping.

✔ Clipboard ASCII Import

Paste directly from any field data logger output.

✔ Excel Workbook Import

PID, X, Y, Z, Code, Description column mapping with auto-detect.

✔ Database-Linked Import

Table/query metadata mapping with field auto-select.

Level Data Processing.

AutoTerra includes a full level-data environment — not just a coordinate import. Digital Level data from various instrument is directly supported with auto-calculation.

✔ Spreadsheet-Style Level Book

BS, IS, FS, distance, point number, RL, N, E support.

✔ Multiple Level File Formats.

SDR, CS1/CS2-style and Topcon-style parsing.

✔ Benchmark / Start Elevation Handling

Reference mark entry and propagation.

✔ Height of Instrument / RL Calculations

Automatic HI and reduced level computation.

✔ Multiple Run Support

Manage multiple levelling runs in one project.

✔ Coordinate Recalculation

Recalculate from reference lines when applicable.

✔ Field Record Support

Works from field levelling records, not only finished XYZ.

✔ Closure Check & Report

Level loop closure with error distribution.

Traverse Correction & COGO.

AutoTerra includes a dedicated traverse table with full angular correction, distance reduction, latitude/departure computation, and coordinate adjustment. This is survey-grade traverse computation, not a simple coordinate import.

Traverse Computation

✔ Observed & Corrected Angle.

Automatic angular correction from total angle error

✔ Whole Circle Bearing Generation.

Corrected angles to WCB — automatic computation.

✔ Grid Distance & Lat/Dep Calculation

From bearing and reduced distance.

✔ Initial Coordinate Build-Up

Traverse coordinate propagation from starting point.

✔ Closing Error Calculation

Latitude and departure closure error with accuracy ratio.

✔ Distance Correction

Mean RL, radius, and scale reduction before balancing.

Adjustment Methods

✔ Bowditch (Compass Rule) Correction

Proportional closure distribution — standard method.

✔ Transit Correction

Alternative correction for angular emphasis.

✔ Final Corrected Northing/Easting

Adjusted coordinates per station.

✔ Summary Report

Angular error, total length, lat/dep error, accuracy ratio.

✔ Database-Linked Import

Table/query metadata mapping with field auto-select.

COGO Calculations

✔ Resection & Intersection

Control point setup computation.

✔ Least-Squares Adjustment

Statistical network adjustment.

✔ UTM / Lat-Lon Conversion

Zone-aware coordinate conversion.

Import Flexibility

Traditional & Modern Survey Workflow Support.

AutoTerra Pro Spatial supports both legacy survey workflows and modern digital acquisition environments within the same coordinated platform. Survey teams can combine historical field records, traditional instrument observations, GNSS data, and modern total station workflows without restructuring existing operational practices.

This flexibility allows organizations to modernize progressively while preserving continuity with established survey methods, historical datasets, and long-term project standards.

A Full CAD Environment. No Additional Licence Required.

AutoTerra’ s CAD-based drafting engine gives you a complete CAD workspace inside the same project as your point cloud, GIS layers, and surface models. Layers, annotation, dimensions, blocks and many more CAD relate features for edit & modification.

Draw

Point, Line, Polyline, Circle, Arc, Rectangle, Ellipse, Hatch, Building Corner, Sketch, Text, Multiline text, Measure Distance, Measure Area, Image (50+ formats), Block definition, Construction Line, Ray, Spline, Spiral, Hatch.

Modify

Move, Copy, Rotate, Scale, Mirror, Offset, Erase, Fillet, Chamfer, Trim, Extend, Break, Join, Divide, Explode, Edit Polyline, Extended Trim, Select Similar, Select by Polygon, Select by Fence, Select All, Hatch to Polygon, Match Properties.

Style & Annotation

Transfer style between entities, Point Styles, Multiline Styles, Text style, Linetype, Linewidth.

✔ Dimensions

Linear, Radial, Angular, Auto-Dimension Block definition.

Drawing Management

✔ Layer

Layer Create / Delete / Rename, Visibility & Lock Control, Colour & Linetype Assignment.

✔ Layer Groups

Organise layers into logical sets.

✔ Purge Unused Elements

✔ Layout / Sheet Management

Multi-sheet paper space equivalent.

✔ View Port

CAD Format Exchange

✔ DWG Read & Write

All major DWG versions.

✔ DXF Import & Export

Full entity-type support.

AutoRoads extends the AutoTerra platform into full highway and corridor design — horizontal and vertical alignment, superelevation transitions, carriageway cross-section templates, side slope design, Bill of Quantities generation, and integrated cost estimation. Every feature shares the same point cloud, GIS, and CAD workspace you already know from AutoTerra Pro Spatial.

What AutoRoads Will Deliver.

Horizontal alignment design with spiral transitions and design speed constraints. Vertical curve design with grade-break annotation and superelevation transitions. Full road cross-section template system: pavement, base, subgrade, kerbs, batters. Automated Bill of Quantities (BOQ) and material volume estimation. Right-of-way (ROW) corridor polygon generation.Structure placement (bridges, culverts) along alignment. Seamless integration with AutoTerra point cloud and surface data.

Raw Data to Finished CAD Drawing

Instrument Support

  • Total Station (Topcon, SDR, CSx)
  • Theodolite, Tacheometer, Digital Level
  • GNSS/DGPS coordinate import

Traverse Adjustments & COGO

  • Bowditch / Transit corrections
  • Resection, intersection, least-squares
  • Code library auto-drafting
CapabilityAdvantage
Integrated WorkflowNo import/export between apps
Live 3D ClassificationFaster QA & editing
GIS + CAD EditingAttributes preserved natively
50+ Format supportSeamless coordination

Built for End-to-End Geospatial Production

Capability Area AutoTerra Pro Details Operational Advantage
Integrated Geospatial Workflow Point Cloud + GIS + CAD + Terrain + Survey + Sections + Reporting inside one environment Eliminates repetitive export-import workflows between disconnected applications
Interactive 3D Classification Real-time brush and fence classification directly inside the live 3D viewport Faster editing, inspection, and QA workflows with immediate visual feedback
Large Dataset Visualization GPU-accelerated rendering with Octree LOD, streaming, and continuous surface visualization Responsive interaction even on corridor-scale and billion-point datasets
Field-to-Finish Survey Production Survey code libraries automatically generate CAD-ready entities during import Reduces manual drafting effort and improves workflow consistency
CAD-Native GIS Editing GIS layers remain editable as native CAD geometry with attribute synchronization Removes GIS-to-CAD conversion overhead while preserving spatial intelligence
Terrain, Section & Volume Workflows Surface modelling, profiles, cross-sections, and cut/fill analysis operate on the same terrain environment Simplifies engineering workflows and improves data continuity
Integrated Spatial Context Online/offline map tiles, raster imagery, and GIS overlays directly inside the production workspace Improves visual validation and geospatial coordination
Traditional + Modern Survey Support Supports total station, GNSS, theodolite, tacheometer, level, and legacy survey workflows Enables gradual modernization without abandoning historical survey processes
Project Tiling & Task Automation Tile-based processing with reusable classification task macros Scales efficiently across large projects and repeated production workflows
Broad Format Interoperability 50+ supported formats across survey, GIS, CAD, raster, terrain, and point cloud workflows Simplifies coordination across consultants, agencies, and project teams

One Platform. Complete Workflow Continuity.

AutoTerra Pro Spatial is designed for organizations that require point cloud processing, GIS, CAD drafting, terrain modelling, survey computation, engineering sections, and final deliverables to operate together as part of a continuous production workflow.

Instead of moving project data through disconnected software chains, teams can classify, analyse, draft, validate, and deliver inside one coordinated geospatial environment — reducing workflow fragmentation, minimizing repetitive data conversion, and accelerating project execution.

AutoTerra Pro Spatial is designed to simplify complex geospatial production workflows without the operational overhead of maintaining multiple disconnected software environments.


Why the Integrated Approach Matters.

Modern geospatial projects rarely operate inside a single discipline. Survey teams, GIS analysts, terrain engineers, CAD operators, and point cloud specialists often work on the same dataset using separate applications, creating unnecessary workflow interruptions, repeated data conversion, and version-management challenges.

AutoTerra Pro Spatial is designed to reduce that fragmentation.

Point cloud classification updates terrain workflows immediately. GIS layers remain connected to CAD editing. Survey observations flow directly into drafting and terrain generation. Profiles, sections, and volume calculations operate on the same coordinated dataset without rebuilding intermediate deliverables.The result is a more streamlined production environment with fewer workflow breaks, reduced operational overhead, and greater consistency across the entire project lifecycle.

Core Platform Strengths.

Interactive 3D Point Cloud Workflows

✔ Live 3D classification and audit environment.

✔ Real-time section and profile inspection.

✔ Continuous surface visualization.

✔ GPU-accelerated rendering and navigation.

Survey-to-Deliverable Continuity

✔ Field-to-finish code-driven drafting.

✔ Traverse computation and adjustment.

✔ Terrain generation from classified ground.

✔ Integrated section and volume workflows.

Unified CAD + GIS Environment

✔ GIS editing inside CAD workflows.

✔ Online and offline spatial context.

✔ Raster and terrain integration.

✔ Coordinated multi-format interoperability.

Production-Scale Project Handling

✔ Tile-based large dataset management.

✔ Parallel workflow execution.

✔ Streaming visualization architecture.

✔ Workflow automation through task macros.

Designed for Real Production Environments.

AutoTerra Pro Spatial is not built as a single-purpose viewer or isolated processing utility. It is a coordinated geospatial engineering platform designed for organizations that need survey, terrain, GIS, CAD, and point cloud workflows to operate together efficiently at production scale.

The platform emphasizes workflow continuity, operational simplicity, and integrated project execution — from raw acquisition to final engineering deliverables.

COMING SOON · EARLY ACCESS

AutoRoads

Dedicated corridor & road design built on AutoTerra Pro Spatial. Horizontal/vertical alignments, superelevation, cross-section templates, BOQ — fully integrated.

  • Spiral transitions, design speed constraints
  • Vertical curve & grade-break tools
  • Automated material volumes & ROW generation
  • Bridge/culvert placement along alignment
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⚙️ Requirements
Windows 10/11 64-bit, 8GB+ RAM, GPU recommended.
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