View Survey Data in Google Earth Pro
You can display your survey data superimposed on photographic satellite images of the location in Google™ Earth Pro.
Prerequisites:
- License; See the Subscription Plans page. For a license matrix by command, see the License page in the TBC Community. Also see View and manage licensed features.
- Before performing this procedure, ensure the Google Earth Pro desktop software application is installed on your computer.
To view survey data in Google Earth:
- Select Google Earth in Home > View.
The Google Earth command pane displays.
- In the Offset boxes, enter the offsets you want to use for your survey data when it is superimposed on the photographic view in Google Earth.
To determine appropriate offsets, you can view your data in Google Earth with no offsets, enter or adjust offset values as necessary in the Offset boxes, and then display the changes in Google Earth to ensure correct alignment. Note that the Elevation box is disabled if you select Clamp to Ground in the Altitude mode drop-down list.
Offsets vary depending on the accuracy of the imagery in Google Earth. Rectifying and combining images taken from differing orientations and altitudes, along with the “rubber band” 3D modelling and vertical exaggeration in Google Earth, will cause the superimposed survey data to appear to be located incorrectly. To minimize the offset, try deselecting the Layer > Terrain option in Google Earth.
- Click in the Select entities box. Then, in a graphic view, pick the objects that you want to view in Google Earth; or, click Options for additional selection methods. You can also select objects in the Project Explorer.
The following types of data can be exported: HALs, baselines, contours, line and point features, observations (displayed as lines), photos, trajectories, and event markers.
- In the Altitude mode drop-down list, select one of the following:
- Clamp to Ground ensures all points are located at ground level.
- Absolute ensures all points are displayed at their correct elevation based on the offset value you enter in the Elevation box.
- Click the Apply button.
The Google Earth Pro desktop window displays showing your data, which is contained in a KML (.kml) file with the same name as your project VCE (.vce) file, superimposed on a photographic satellite image. You can select which survey data to display by checking or unchecking check boxes in the Places pane.
